Law Prof’s Controversial Nomination Moves Once Again to Full Senate

The Senate Judiciary Committee has once again given its approval to the nomination of a controversial law professor to head the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.

The committee voted to approve Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen by a 12-7 party line vote and sent the nomination to the full Senate, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire blog, the National Law Journal and Fox News.

The vote is a repeat of last year’s decision to move Johnsen’s name to the Senate, where Republicans blocked the nomination because they disagree with her views on abortion rights and fear she will be soft on national security issues, the NLJ says. Johnsen was legal director of NARAL Pro-Choice America for five years.

President Obama renominated Johnsen after the Senate did not vote on her confirmation before its winter recess in December.