Leahy Sets Hearing For Deputy Attorney General Nominee

 

White House Lags Nearly 3 Weeks In Sending Filip Nomination To Senate

 

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday announced that the Committee has set a hearing for Wednesday, Dec. 19, on the nomination of Mark Filip to be the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice.  Almost three weeks ago the White House announced the intent to nominate Filip to the number two spot at the Justice Department, but the Senate only received the nomination during today’s session. 

 

The position has been vacant since Paul McNulty joined other members of the senior leadership of the Department of Justice, including former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, in resigning this year in the wake of the scandals at the Department of Justice.  McNulty announced that he would be resigning in May and eventually resigned in July. Since then there has been an “acting” deputy assistant attorney general.

 

“Finally, almost three weeks after the White House announced with great fanfare that Judge Filip would be nominated to be the Deputy Attorney General, the Administration has now sent the nomination to the Senate,” said Leahy.  “Had the nomination been sent immediately following the White House announcement, the Committee could have considered Judge Filip’s nomination this week or next.  I am disappointed that the White House has delayed sending Judge Filip’s nomination to the Senate, but the Committee will move as expeditiously as possible in its consideration.”

 

Leahy’s swift action to schedule a hearing is a contrast with the Republican-controlled Senate’s consideration of President Clinton’s nomination of Eric Holder to be the Deputy Attorney General.  Holder’s nomination was pending for three months before he was confirmed to become the first African-American Deputy Attorney General. 

 

The Senate has still not received the nominations of Kevin O’Connor to be the Associate Attorney General or Gregory Katsas to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.  The White House also announced the intent to nominate both O’Connor and Katsas almost three weeks ago.

 

The official notice for the Dec. 19 hearing is below. 

 

December 05, 2007

 

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing on “Executive Nomination” for Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.

 

By order of the Chairman 

Witness List

 

Hearing before the

Senate Judiciary Committee

 

on

 

“Executive Nomination”

 

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226

10:00 a.m. 

 

Mark R. Filip, of Illinois, to be Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice