White House Counsel
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The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.
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[edit] Role
The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House. The current White House Counsel is Robert Bauer.
[edit] Responsibilities
The Office of Counsel to the President was created in 1943, and is responsible for advising on all legal aspects of policy questions, legal issues arising in connection with the President's decision to sign or veto legislation, ethical questions, financial disclosures, and conflicts of interest during employment and post employment. The Counsel's Office also helps define the line between official and political activities, oversees executive appointments and judicial selection, handles Presidential pardons, reviews legislation and Presidential statements, and handles lawsuits against the President in his role as President, as well as serving as the White House contact for the Department of Justice.
[edit] Limitations
Although the White House Counsel offers legal advice to the President, the Counsel does so in the President's official capacity, and does not serve as the President's personal attorney. Therefore, controversy has emerged over the scope of the attorney-client privilege between the Counsel and the President. It is clear, however, that the privilege does not apply in personal matters, such as impeachment proceedings; thus, in such situations the President relies on a personal attorney for confidential legal advice.
[edit] Current Counsel
Of the 20 senior counselors at the commencement of the Obama Administration, eleven are women. Half are from either Harvard Law School or Yale Law School. Two attended Stanford Law School and several other top law schools also were represented, including Columbia Law School and the University of Chicago Law School. Most attended top undergraduate institutions as well.[1]
Senior Counsels
- Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President: Greg Craig[2]
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy White House Counsel to the President: Daniel Meltzer[3]
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Counsel: Cassandra Butts[4]
- Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council: Mary DeRosa[3]
- Deputy Counsel to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President: Neal Wolin[3]
- Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform: Norman L. Eisen[3]
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy White House Counsel to the President: Daniel Meltzer[3]
Associate Counsels to the President: Kendall C. Burman, Susan Davies, Karen Dunn, Danielle Gray, Michael Gottlieb, Roberto J. Gonzalez, Virginia Canter, Caroline Krass, Jonathan Kravis, Trevor Morrison, Alison J. Nathan, Kate Shaw, Christian A. Weideman[3]
Deputy Associate Counsels: Ian Bassin, Rashad Hussain, Blake Roberts, Jason G. Green[3]
[edit] List of White House Counsels
[edit] External links
- White House Offices
- Records of Thomas E. Stephens, White House Counsel, 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
- Diaries of Bernard M. Shanley, White House Counsel, 1953-1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
- Records of Gerald Morgan, White House Counsel, 1955-1958, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
- Records of David W. Kendall, White House Counsel, 1958-1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
[edit] References
- ^ Kamen, Al (2009-02-02). "The Nomination Express, Stuck in First Gear". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/01/AR2009020101965.html. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- ^ Office of President-Elect. "Obama-Biden Transition Team announces more White House staff". Press release. http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/obama_biden_transition_team_announces_more_white_house_staff/. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Office of the Press Secretary (2009-01-28). "Obama Announces Key Additions to the Office of the White House Counsel". Press release. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ObamaAnnouncesKeyAdditionstotheOfficeoftheWhiteHouseCounsel/. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
- ^ Office of President-Elect. "President-elect Obama announces more key White House staff". Press release. http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/president-elect_obama_announces_more_key_white_house_staff/. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
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