Pres. Obama nominates first female solicitor general

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a full hearing today to confirm the nomination of Elena Kagan, Dean of Harvard Law School, to be solicitor general of the United States. If confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first woman to hold this position. Sen. Feingold (D-Wis.) stated, “Although women have made great strides in the legal profession in recent decades, I think the nomination of the first woman solicitor general is obviously a historic moment for our country.”

Sen. Specter (R-Pa.), in his introduction of Kagan, stated, “If confirmed I believe General Kagan will be an outstanding solicitor general. She brings exceptional qualifications to the job, and will be a tough, fair, powerful advocate for the constitution.”

Kagan accepted her nomination as a great honor as well. “To have the opportunity to lead the Solicitor General’s office is the honor of a lifetime. As you know, this is an office with a long and rich tradition, not only of extraordinary legal skill but also of extraordinary professionalism and integrity. That is due, in large measure, to the people who have led it.”

Additionally, the committee confirmed the nomination of Thomas Perrelli, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General, to be Associate Attorney General, the third-ranking position in the Justice Department. Perrelli accepted his nomination with his family standing by. He expressed honor in his nomination, and stated his commitment to the job he accepted. “I have no illusions at the size of the task. The challenges that the department faces today are enormous… My vision is a Justice Department of which all Americans can be proud, a department that keeps America safe from threats foreign and domestic, a department that at every level makes the even-handed application of the law and the representation of the interests of the United States,” he stated.