A Legal Adviser Worthy of the Job

NYT editorial

In the Bush administration, the Office of Legal Counsel gave a green light to many objectionable policies, from a lawless expansion of executive power to the use of torture. President Obama has nominated Dawn Johnsen to lead the office, but her nomination is being attacked by Republican senators who still prefer the Bush approach. Ms. Johnsen is superbly qualified and has fought for just the sort of change the office needs. The Senate should confirm her without further delay.

The Office of Legal Counsel is little known to the public, but it plays an important role in guiding national policy. As the legal adviser to the executive branch, it informs the White House and the agencies about what the law requires — and what it prohibits. The office was thrust into the limelight a few years ago when word leaked out of an O.L.C. torture memo that cleared the way for horrific forms of interrogation.

Ms. Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University, spent five years in the office under President Bill Clinton, including a stint as its acting chief. In response to the abuses of the Bush years, she joined in a much-needed statement of principles, signed by 19 former lawyers from the office. It called for the office to be more transparent and to show greater respect for Congress and the courts.

(More here.)