Another delayed Obama nominee
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Ruth Marcus ["Advise and Stall," op-ed, Oct. 7] performed a valuable public service by calling attention to the senseless political games that Senate Republicans are playing with President Obama's nominees for dozens of important but unsung posts within the executive branch.
One important omission from Ms. Marcus's list of stalled nominees: Dawn Johnsen, who was nominated in January to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.
Ms. Johnsen is eminently qualified to lead this office, which plays a key role in protecting our constitutional rights. She is a distinguished law professor who in the 1990s served five years in the Office of Legal Counsel, including a stint as acting director. After it became known that the office, during the Bush administration, approved illegal wiretapping of U.S. citizens and the torture of detainees, Ms. Johnsen spearheaded an effort by legal experts to develop guidelines to ensure that the office fulfills its proper role. She is supported by an impressive and bipartisan group of former administration officials and has the votes to be easily confirmed, if only Republicans would let the vote take place.
This is obstructionism, pure and simple. And, as Ms. Marcus said, it's no way to run government.
Wade Henderson, Washington
The writer is president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
