The Washington Post reports today that Perkins Coie partner Bob Bauer will replace Greg Craig as White House counsel. Evan Perez in the Wall Street Journal broke the story back in August that Craig was on his way out, having stumbled in his handling of the Guantanamo Bay military facility closing. The Post says there was also displeasure about Craig’s office’s vetting of administration nominees.
Bauer is an expert on election law and ethics. An early supporter of President Barack Obama, he is married to outgoing White House communications director Anita Dunn.
Here is the statement issued by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy this morning:
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
On White House Counsel Gregory Craig
November 13, 2009
“Greg Craig is an exceptional public servant, as well as a gifted lawyer. Together with President Obama, he helped to bolster the integrity of the Presidency, and restore integrity to the White House Counsel’s Office. I have appreciated his approach to working with Congress, and his willingness to take on great challenges in the first months of this young presidency. Vermonters value public service, and as a Vermonter himself, Greg Craig has heeded that call.”
