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Smoke Signals
Taylor Marsh —
... . The
Office of Legal Counsel is getting a heroine, Dawn Johnsen. See
Glenn Greenwald, which seems to be the consensus of the law dogs. ...
Obama’s OLC nominee: ‘We must regain our ability to feel outrage whenever our government acts lawlessly.’
Think Progress —
President-elect Barack Obama announced today that Dawn Johnsen will serve as the next Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Salon’s Glenn Greenwald calls the pick “Obama’s best yet, perhaps by far.” As evidence, Greenwald highlights an article in Slate that Johnsen authored last year, in which he excoriated John Yoo’s infamous torture memo:
I want to second Dahlia’s frustration with those who don’t see the newly released Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) torture memo as a big deal. Where ...
Outrage
Eschaton —
It appears that Obama's appointed a crazy hippie freak to the OLC who thinks it's appropriate to be outraged when high ranking government officials lie and break the law. The appropriate Village way is to declare them to be elder statesmen and let bygones be bygones. ...
Hope
Corrente —
Via Glenn Greenwald, who remarks, of Obama's new appointment to OLC: Read more…
A Very Reassuring Choice
The Anonymous Liberal —
... As Glenn Greenwald documents, Johnsen has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's legal policies, particularly its illegal surveillance and torture policies, which were justified by odious and deeply-flawed legal opinions issued by Bush's OLC (courtesy of John Yoo). It's hard to overstate how reassuring I will find it to have someone like Johnsen at the helm at OLC. The difference between Johnsen and Yoo couldn't be more stark. ...
Monday, Monday, Monday!
Open Left - Front Page —
... On a more positive appointment note, Glenn Greenwald praises Dawn Johnson, the new head of the Office of Legal Consul. Commenting on some fantastic articles by Johnson, Greenwald writes: ...
Obama’s OLC Pick
The Moderate Voice —
Both Glenn Greenwald and Hilzoy are very happy about Obama choosing Dawn Johnsen as his Office of Legal Counsel head. They go into sufficient detail so I won’t add much.
That said, it is very heartening that he chose someone that spoke in depth about the need for the Executive to voluntarily give up power by monitoring itself and making sure that it followed both the letter and spirit of the Law. It gives hope to the idea that Obama is wise enough to realize he’ll be under intense pressure to do something — anything — to respond to the ...
Chatty Open Thread
Booman Tribune —
Lot's of news today. Do me a favor and give me your thoughts on some of it. Some seriously great appointments , Al Franken is certified the winner , Leon Panetta has been appointed as DCI (I approve, even if DiFI does not). Most of all, I can't wait until we no longer have idiots speaking for us that just make us all look like fools.
Quote of the Day
The Reaction —
... , reacting to Obama's great pick of Dawn Johnsen to head the DOJ's Office of Legal Council. It's a sad day when we cheer presidential adherence to the rule of law, but such is the state Bush & Cheney have left us in. ...
Find a lesson in the draw
The Sideshow —
... Glenn Greenwald is feeling optimistic about Obama's choice for head of Office of Legal Counsel, and he's making me feel good about it, too. And: "Spencer Ackerman reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein is upset with the selection of Panetta, petulantly complaining that she wasn't consulted in advance and that it would be best to have an "intelligence professional" in that position. CQ's Tim Starks reports that Sen. Jay Rockefeller is making very similar noises about this selection. Few things could reflect better on Panetta's selection than the fact that Feinstein ...
Morning Links
The Agitator —
Dems looking to scrap term limits for committee chairs. Bring back the Rostenkowski era!
Foreign Policy names Cato the world’s most innovative think tank, and notes, “Cato’s libertarian stance, once viewed as fringe, is now considered respectable.” Hey, it’s a start.
Obama’s pick for OLC looks to be pretty good.
Coming soon, to a hysterical public health activist near you: third-hand smoke!
Some nice ice-themed photos.
Fun with speed cameras.
...
Al-Haramain Spying Case to Proceed
Daily Kos —
... All this holds the possibility that we still might have a remedy in the courts on the issue, and provides an early test for the Obama Justice Department. Presuming the Bush administration appeals this decision, would the Obama team continue that fight? Given the legal team he's assembled, that doesn't seem likely. For more on that, and the interesting timing of this case, ...
Leverett on Countdown: Time for Obama to Speak Out on Gaza Violence
Firedoglake —
... picks Monday are winning well-deserved praise (e.g., see Greenwald) for what they signal about Obama's commitment to the rule of law and the rejection of torture. Those selections also reveal the kind of moral and political courage that is now needed in addressing the Gaza situation. ...
Deconstructing Dick: Sneer and Loathing for the Rule of Law
Firedoglake —
... a clumsy combination of a Mahktar stealth haze (YouTube) and a fumbling Jedi mind trick (YouTube) -- trying to mask his role in all of this. When in reality, he's been like those Escher drawing hands, bringing themselves into being exactly as they wanted in every detail.
The one piece of good news in the entire interview? Cheney petulantly gripes that Obama hasn't asked his counsel on keeping Gitmo open indefinitely. Well, that's a relief...
PS: Dawn Johnson at OLC? Oh frabtacular day. Excellent.
Obama And Competence: The New New? Or The Same Old, Same Old?
Firedoglake —
... For folks like Dawn Johnson, nominated for the office of legal counsel at the DOJ? I have very high hopes of significant changes in respect and upholding the rule of law. For other folks? Let's just say I have ...
Marty Lederman joins the Obama Justice Department.
Think Progress —
... , who will head the office. Over the past few years, Lederman’s legal blogging at Balkanization has provided invaluable insight and strength to critics of key Bush policies, including ...
Meet the New Boss; Same as the Old Boss
Antiwar.com Original —
... . Also, his choice of Dawn Johnsen for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel was first-rate. But let's not kid ourselves into believing that he wants to have peaceful relations with peaceful people in other parts of the world. Copyright 2009 by David R. Henderson. Requests for permission to reprint should be directed to ...
Specter Promises Obama To ‘Support Your Agenda,’ Hours Later Restates Opposition To OLC Pick
Think Progress —
... hours later, however, Specter reaffirmed his unfounded opposition to Obama's pick to head the Office of Legal Counsel, Dawn Johnsen:
Q: How are going to vote on the Dawn Johnsen confirmation?
SPECTER: I'm opposed to the nominee for Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Council, Dawn Johnsen.
Watch it:
Johnsen has been a tireless advocate for limited executive power firmly bounded by law, not to mention a strong ...
Conservatives Set To Block Dawn Johnsen’s Nomination
Think Progress —
... , and has written passionately in support of checks and balances and against executive branch power grabs. She is a strong progressive candidate who could restore the tainted OLC to a place of legal professionalism and pride. And, ...
Conservatives Set To Block Dawn Johnsen’s Nomination
The Political Carnival —
... , and has written passionately in support of checks and balances and against executive branch power grabs. She is a strong progressive candidate who could restore the tainted OLC to a place of legal professionalism and pride. And, ...
OLC: The Question We Must All Ask
Firedoglake —
... Because Dawn Johnsen's known as a straight shooter who not only does not play fast and loose with the letter of the law, but is also blunt about what is required to uphold it?
Is this why Johnsen's nomination is really on hold? Via The Nation: ...
Will Specter vote for cloture on Dawn Johnsen?
Think Progress —
... to President Obama’s nominee to head the Office of Legal Counsel, Dawn Johnsen (though he never explained why he opposed her). Greg Sargent reports that Specter’s office has left the door open for the senator ...
Senate GOP Blocking Obama Nominees In Attempt To Delay Health Care And Climate Legislation
Think Progress —
... are Dawn Johnsen, President Obama’s exceptionally qualified nominee to head the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel, Harold Koh, a leading expert in international law who is nominated to be the chief legal adviser to the State Department, and Judge David Hamilton, a court of appeals nominee currently being blocked because of ...
SCOTUS And OLC: It’s All About the Right-Wing Moolah
Firedoglake —
... The right's disingenuous claim that Sotomayor's nomination must be obstructed are far from novel. Indeed, Sotomayor is only the most recent of Obama's well-qualified nominees to receive the same shoddy treatment. Consider Dawn Johnsen...who may be the single most qualified attorney in the world to lead [OLC]. A former acting head of the OLC during the Clinton Administration, Johnsen was among the most ...
A Tale of Two Nominees: Why Civil Liberties “Extremists” are Disappointed in Obama
Firedoglake —
... She was the best of nominees. He was the worst of nominees. The fates of Dawn Johnsen and John Brennan after the first attempts to put them into high levels of the Obama Administration tells us everything we need to know about Obama's commitment to the rule of law.
The nomination of Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice represented, in my opinion, the best possible candidate for a crucial position. During the Bush-Cheney years, OLC memos of incredibly shoddy workmanship were churned out in abundance in a blatant ...
Greg Craig and Obama's Worsening Civil Liberties Record
Commondreams.org Views —
... in those values. One of Obama's most impressive and exciting appointments -- Dawn Johnsen to head the OLC -- has still not been confirmed despite a 60-seat Democratic Senate. Instead, the former CIA official who ...
