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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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2008-01-01 |
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| Name | Dawn Elizabeth Johnsen |
| Address |
Bloomington, Indiana , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
August 14, 1961
(62 years)
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| Contributor | Scott³ |
| Last Modifed | Scott³
May 15, 2009 11:21am |
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| Info | Dawn Elizabeth Johnsen (born August 14, 1961) is an American lawyer and professor of Constitutional law who is currently on the faculty at Maurer School of Law at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. In 2009, President-Elect Barack Obama announced that he would appoint her to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the United States Department of Justice.
Born in Manhasset, New York, Johnsen attended Carle Place High School in Carle Place, New York, graduating in 1979 as its salutatorian. She received her B.A. summa cum laude in economics and political science at Yale College in 1983 and her J.D. at Yale Law School in 1986, where she served as an Articles Editor of the Yale Law Journal.
After graduating law school, Johnsen clerked for United States Appeals Court Judge Richard Dickson Cudahy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from September 1986 until August 1987.
Johnsen worked for the American Civil Liberties Union as a staff counsel fellow on a one-year fellowship from 1987 until 1988, and then worked for the National Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League (currently NARAL Pro-Choice America) from 1988 until 1993. From 1993 to 1998, Johnsen worked in the Office of Legal Counsel. She was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General from 1993 until 1996, and served as Acting Assistant Attorney General heading the OLC from 1997 until 1998. Johnsen joined the Indiana University faculty in 1998 upon leaving government service.
Johnsen is a member of the national board of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
Johnsen's nomination to head the Office of Legal Counsel encountered opposition from Republican Senators who cited her criticisms of the OLC during the administration of President George W. Bush. The New York Times reported that she had criticized OLC memorandums that said the president could largely ignore international treaties and Congress in fighting terrorists and that critics have portrayed as allowing torture in interrogation.
The broad reading of presidential authority was “outlandish,” and the constitutional arguments were “shockingly flawed,” Ms. Johnsen has written. While her language was harsh, the memos have largely been withdrawn, and among lawyers a consensus agreeing with her views has emerged.
Johnsen and her husband, community development finance executive John Mark Hamilton, have two children. Hamilton unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 8th congressional district in 2000, but was defeated in the primary.
Johnsen's brother-in-law is United States District Judge David Hamilton.
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