The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri today told members of the Senate Judiciary panel’s Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee that there are not enough law enforcement and social services resources to combat child sex trafficking in the United States.

Beth Phillips (DOJ)

U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips, who worked on child exploitation cases as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, said U.S. child traffickers have “little fear” of arrest or prosecution because victims often won’t cooperate with law enforcement officials. Phillips said there needs to be more specialized services for victims, including secure housing.

“Without secure housing it is difficult for law enforcement officers to maintain the steady contact with victims necessary to build rapport and build trust,” Phillips said. “While general resources might be available at the state level, there are very little resources capable of addressing the full range of trauma experienced by these children.”

The U.S. Attorney, who was sworn into office on Dec. 31, said the Justice Department has employed a number of task forces and initiatives over the last decade to fight child prostitution, including the Innocence Lost National Initiative, begun in 2003, which tries to rescue U.S. victims of child trafficking. The DOJ also has a few, limited grant programs to help state, local and tribal officials save child prostitutes in the United States.

“The Department of Justice is committed to continuing its multi-pronged attack against the victimization of American children,” Phillips said. “Through a training and grant-making perspective, we continue to assist local communities in understanding and responding to this issue. From a law enforcement perspective, our efforts are focused on building capacity through the establishment and training of task forces to successfully apprehend and prosecute offenders who make money off of the backs of children.”

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced bipartisan legislation last December to create a dedicated grant program that would provide grants to state, local and tribal programs that fight sex trafficking in the United States. The bill, which would authorize $50 million over four years, has not seen any legislative action, however.

“[Child prostitutes] don’t have any power. They don’t have any clout. They don’t have any political action committee,” Wyden said today. He added: “We are not going to tolerate this kind of moral wrong. We are not going to tolerate sacrificing so many of our young people.”

Kent Robinson (gov)

An Assistant U.S. Attorney has been named the new interim Oregon U.S. Attorney, The Oregonian reports. Dwight C. Holton replaces Kent Robinson, who has been the state’s interim U.S. Attorney. His term expired at midnight on Wednesday, the newspaper reports.

Holton most recently became chief of the criminal division in the district.

Robinson, had been acting U.S. attorney since last July. He now will become the office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney, a post he also held in 2007. Robinson  was one of three people recommended by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) for formal appointment to the U.S. Attorney position, which requires Senate confirmation. However this week Robinson withdrew his application for reasons that were not immediately made clear, The Oregonian reported.

Joshua Marquis (gov)

The two remaining people recommended for the permanent position are Josh Marquis and Amanda Marshall. The White House has not announced a decision on the appointment.

Marquis has served as the district attorney for Clatsop County since 1994. He previously was the chief deputy district attorney for Deschutes and Lincoln counties. Marquis also worked as a deputy district attorney for Lincoln and Lane counties.

Amanda Marshall (facebook)

Marshall is a child advocacy lawyer for the Oregon Department of Justice. She has a Facebook page promoting her candidacy here.

Joshua Marquis (gov)

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Wednesday announced his recommendations for Oregon’s U.S. Attorney.  Read the news release here.

The finalists are Josh Marquis, Amanda Marshall and Kent Robinson.

Kent Robinson (gov)

Marquis has served as the district attorney for Clatsop County since 1994. He previously was the chief deputy district attorney for Deschutes and Lincoln counties. Marquis also worked as a deputy district attorney for Lincoln and Lane counties.

Amanda Marshall (facebook)

Marshall is a child advocacy lawyer for the Oregon Department of Justice. She has a Facebook page promoting her candidacy here.

Robinson is the district’s acting U.S. Attorney. From 2007 until earlier this year, he was the district’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney. From 2001 through 2007, he served as the chief of the criminal division in the district.

The omission of Oregon Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton from the list came as a surprise, according to Willamette Week in Portland.

The newspaper said:

Going into the weekend, many insiders speculated that Dwight Holton, an assistant U.S. Attorney was likely to be one of three finalists. The son of a former Virginia governor and the brother-in-law of current Virginia governor and Democratic National Committee boss Tim Kaine, Holton is connected, as well as being a well-regarded prosecutor.

Wyden appointed a 13-member selection committee to make recommendations for the senators to consider. The panel also considered Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote and Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson, but their names also weren’t on the final list sent to the White House. President Barack Obama ultimately will select and nominate the U.S. Attorney.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) recently announced that a selection committee has selected six candidates to interview to become Oregon’s next U.S. Attorney. The interviews will take place Oct. 24-25, after which the committee will recommend three finalists for Wyden to forward to President Obama. The last Senate-confirmed person in the position was Bush-appointee Karin J. Immergut, who resigned in July to accept an appointment as a state judge.

The six people who will be interviewed are

• Kent Robinson, the acting U.S. Attorney for the district

Others who previously were said to be under consideration included Rob Bovett (Lincoln County district attorney), Ken Perry (Portland lawyer), Robert Hutchings (Lane County public defender) and John Hummel (Portland lawyer and professor at a university in Liberia).

John Foote (Gov)

John Haroldson (Gov)

Josh Marquis (Gov)

Amanda Marshall (facebook)

Kent Robinson (gov)

Ten people have submitted applications for Oregon U.S. Attorney, Willamette Week in Portland, Ore., reported today.

Local lawyers told the newspaper the candidates are:

Kent Robinson (Gov)

-Kent Robinson, Oregon acting U.S. Attorney.

Josh Marquis (Gov)

-Dwight Holton, Oregon Assistant U.S. Attorney and brother-in-law of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D). Democratic Virginia Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner previously recommended him for Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney. President Obama ended up nominating Associate Deputy Attorney General Neil MacBride for the post.

-Josh Marquis,  Clatsop County district attorney.

Rob Bovett (Gov)

-John Foote, Clackamas County district attorney.

John Foote (Gov)

-Rob Bovett, Lincoln County district attorney.

-John Haroldson, Benton County district attorney.

-Amanda Marshall, Oregon Department of Justice child advocacy section lawyer. She has a Facebook page promoting her candidacy here.

John Haroldson (Gov)

-Ken Perry, Portland lawyer.

-Robert Hutchings, Lane County public defender.

Amanda Marshall (facebook)

-John Hummel, Portland lawyer and professor at a university in Liberia.

-Josh Kardon, chief of staff to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), told Willamette Week the U.S. Attorney selection panel will meet in September to pare down its applicant list and will interview candidates in October.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said he selected members for a screening committee that will recommend a candidate for Oregon U.S. Attorney, according to a news release from his office last week.

The panel includes:

-Todd Anderson, Tillamook County sheriff

-Mike Dugan, Deschutes County district attorney

-Meg Garvin, attorney and National Crime Victim Law Institute executive director

-Gene Hallman, Pendleton attorney

-Bob Hermann, Washington County district attorney

-Andy Jackson, Coos County sheriff

-Kellie Johnson, Multnomah County deputy district attorney

-Jennifer Kimble, Jefferson County attorney

-Angel Lopez, Multnomah County Circuit Court judge

-Donna Maddux, Oregon Department of Justice organized crime section attorney in charge

-Barry Sheldahl, former Assistant U.S Attorney

-Diana Simpson, Benton County sheriff

-Jay Waterbury, The Dalles police chief

The committee will review candidates to replace U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut, a Bush holdover, after the Aug. 15 deadline for Oregon U.S. Attorney applications passes. After screening the candidates, the panel will submit a finalist for Wyden to recommend to President Obama. The Senate must confirm any U.S. Attorney nominee from the White House before the appointee can officially take office.

Senator-elect Al Franken will serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Congressional Quarterly reported this afternoon.

Al Franken (NNDB)

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) was temporarily holding onto the comedian-turned-politician’s seat on the panel, according to CQ. Franken, a Democrat, claimed the disputed Minnesota seat after the state supreme court ruled today that he received more votes than his Republican challenger, former Sen. Norm Coleman.

The Senate plans to swear in Franken next week following the Fourth of July holiday. In theory, Franken will give the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority. With a united block of 60 Democratic senators, Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) could finally schedule votes on DOJ nominees Dawn Johnsen for the Office of Legal Counsel, Thomas Perez for the Civil Rights Division and Mary L. Smith for the Tax Division.

But Franken’s seating might not be enough to schedule votes on the nominations or push through the long-stalled Johnsen.

Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy (Mass.) and Robert Byrd (W.Va.) have been absent from Congress with severe health problems. Byrd was released from the hospital today after battling a staph infection for a month. It is unclear when he will be back to cast votes.  Kennedy is being treated for brain cancer. He has said he will try to come back to Washington this summer to work on health care legislation.

Even if one of the ailing senators is able to cast votes, the DOJ nominations could still be held up. The Senate Judiciary Committee reported the Johnsen nomination to the Senate for consideration on March 19. Byrd was present to vote in the Senate until mid-May. Kennedy was present intermittently throughout March and April to cast votes.