David Kris Confirmed for DOJ

The Senate today, as expected, unanimously confirmed David Kris as assistant attorney general in the National Security Division at the Department of Justice. Kris is the fifth Obama nominee confirmed for a post at Justice so far.

In addition to Attorney General Eric Holder, the Senate has confirmed Deputy Attorney General David Ogden, Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli, and Elena Kagan to be Solicitor General of the United States.

Kris — who’s won strong praise from TWI’s own Spencer Ackerman, among others — testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 25.

Notably, the nomination of Dawn Johnsen, who testified on the same day as Kris, has not yet been put up for a vote. Johnsen has been nominated to head the Office of Legal Counsel, and has been sharply critical of some if its memos authorizing extraordinary executive power and the administration’s right to torture detainees during the Bush administration.

Johnsen faced harsh questioning at her confirmation hearing from some Republicans, who seemed eager to dig decades into her past to paint her as a radical.