Although Dawn Johnsen -- President Obama's nominee to lead the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel -- is "a highly qualified choice," Senate Republicans "have been raising baseless objections and delaying" the confirmation for more than one year, the New York Times says in an editorial. Republicans "owe Mr. Obama a vote on this nomination, and Democratic leaders have a duty to get it done quickly," the editorial states.

According to the editorial, OLC "provides legal guidance to the president and the federal agencies on constitutional matters and on legal issues of particular complexity." Johnsen served in the office for five years during the Clinton administration, spending some of her tenure as the office's acting chief. However, her criticism of the Bush administration's interrogation and detention policies "rankled Senate Republicans," the editorial says (New York Times, 2/4). Some lawmakers also have questioned her past legal work for an abortion-rights group (Women's Health Policy Report, 1/13). The editorial continues that a group of GOP senators in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) asked for a second confirmation hearing for Johnsen.

"There is no need for another hearing," the editorial says, adding that Johnsen "has been fully vetted already." The Judiciary Committee voted to support her in March 2009, after she appeared before the committee in February to answer questions. "Since then, her nomination has languished," the editorial states, adding, "Now that it is a new Senate session, the Judiciary Committee must vote on her nomination again." The committee is likely to hold the vote on Thursday, according to the editorial. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) "should do what it takes to get the full Senate to vote promptly and to get her confirmed," the editorial argues, concluding, "A year is far too long for such an important position to go unfilled" (New York Times, 2/4).

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