Mark Siljander (Lifelong Learning Center of the Florida Keys)

A former Michigan congressman pleaded guilty Wednesday to failing to register as a lobbyist for an Islamic charity that is suspected of having ties to terrorism.

Ex-Rep. Mark Deli Siljander (R-Mich.), who represented southwestern Michigan from 1981 to 1987, admitted to violating of the Foreign Agents Registration Act in connection with his work for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which hired him to lobby the Senate Finance Committee to remove the organization from a list of charities with suspected terrorism ties.  FARA requires people who are representing  foreign entities to notify the Attorney General.

Siljander, who also served as a United Nations General Assembly representative from 1987 to 1988, is being prosecuted in the Western District of Missouri, where he was indicted in 2008 on the charges stemming from his work with the Columbia, Mo. charity.

This is the second FARA case to make headlines in the last few weeks. Last month, 11 alleged Russian spies were arrested on charges that they violated FARA.

Beth Phillips (DOJ)

Beth Phillips, the new U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, has no plans to make any big changes to the office, The Kansas City Star reported. Phillips, who was sworn in Dec. 31., will take her ceremonial oath of office at a 3 p.m. event Friday at the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo.

“I think the office is well suited to pursue the priorities identified by the administration,” Phillips told The Star. “I’m not a great believer in change for the sake of change.” She had been an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the office since mid 2008.

She said that counterterrorism, human trafficking, child exploitation and firearms crimes also will be priorities in her Kansas City-based office. Phillips told the newspaper she also plans to add a new lawyer to the district’s mortgage fraud unit which “will allow us to put an ever greater emphasis on those prosecutions.”

Phillips has a “low-key style,” evident in the fact that she has yet to hold a news conference and prepared statements released by her office have been limited, according to the newspaper.

During an interview with The Star, Phillips, a career trial lawyer, said, “I really enjoy presenting cases to juries.” Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick A. McInerney told the newspaper Phillips’ career as a prosecutor and private plaintiff’s lawyer will translate well to her current job. “The issues in the office are raised in the context of criminal prosecutions and trials,” McInerney told The Star. “That will help her make well-founded decisions.”

Jackson County, Kan., Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar, who supervised Phillips when she prosecuted sexual assault cases described Phillips her as “intelligent and talented.” He told The Star, “It’s extremely reassuring to me to know she will be the United States Attorney,” adding, “She’s an excellent advocate for women and children.”

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.”

Over the holiday week, five U.S. Attorneys were sworn in. They are:

• James L. Santelle (Eastern District of Wisconsin): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin was sworn in this morning. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Santelle replaces Bush appointee Steven Biskupic. Biskupic was appointed U.S. Attorney in May 2002. In 2007, Biskupic and his office came under review by congressional investigators looking into the dismissal of U.S. Attorneys. He resigned in January 2009 to join the Milwaukee law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich as a litigator.

• Beth Phillips (Western District of Missouri): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri was sworn in Dec. 31. She was confirmed Dec. 24. Phillips replaces Bush appointee John Wood. Wood headed the office from 2007 to 2009 before resigning in February to join the D.C. office of a leading Wall Street law firm as a partner.

• Mike Cotter (District of Montana): The private practice attorney was sworn in Dec. 30. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Cotter replaces controversial Bush appointee William Mercer, who had held the post since 2001. Mercer wore two hats at DOJ, serving as U.S. Attorney and as Acting Associate Attorney General from September 2006 to June 2007. At DOJ headquarters, he assisted in the politicized firings of other U.S. Attorneys, congressional investigators found. A federal judge and leading Democrats in Montana had called for his resignation.

• Sanford Coats (Western District of Oklahoma): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Oklahoma was sworn in Dec. 30. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Coats replaces John C. Richter, who was named to head the office on an interim basis in 2005 and confirmed by the Senate in 2006. Richter resigned in August to teach law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

• Barbara McQuade (Eastern District of Michigan): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan was sworn in today. She was confirmed Dec. 24. McQuade replaces Stephen J. Murphy who became U.S. Attorney in 2006. In 2008 he became a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan.

In a wrap-up session just before leaving town until next year,  the Senate today confirmed seven U.S. Attorneys by voice vote.

They are:

Richard Callahan (Gov)

- Richard Callahan (Eastern District of Missouri): The state circuit judge in Missouri succeeds Catherine L. Hanaway, who resigned earlier this year. He was nominated for the post in October. Read more about Callahan here.

- Sanford Coats (Western District of Oklahoma): Coats, who been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the western Oklahoma office, succeeds John Richter, who stepped down in August. Coats was nominated on Sept. 30. Read more about Coats here.

- Michael Cotter (Montana): The Helena, Mont., lawyer replaces Bill Mercer, who is a holdover from the George W. Bush administration. Obama nominated Cotter for U.S. Attorney on Sept. 25, after the live-in girlfriend of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) withdrew from consideration. As the state’s senior Democratic senator, Baucus had recommended three candidates to the White House. Read more about Cotter here.

- Christopher Crofts (Wyoming): The counsel to Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) replaces Bush holdover Kelly Rankin. He was nominated on Nov. 30. Read more about Crofts here.

Barbara L. McQuade (ICLE)

- Barbara McQuade (Eastern District of Michigan): The Eastern District of Michigan Assistant U.S. Attorney succeeds Stephen J. Murphy, who resigned in 2008. She was nominated on Nov. 30. Read more about her here.

James L. Santelle (Wisconsin Law Journal)

- James Santelle (Eastern District of Wisconsin): Santelle, who has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District office, succeeds Steven Biskupic, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in January. Obama tapped Santelle for the post on Nov. 30. Read more about Santelle here.

- Mary Elizabeth Phillips (Western District of Missouri): Phillips, who was nominated Sept. 30, succeeds John Wood, who resigned in February. Read more about Phillips here.

The Senate has now confirmed 31 U.S. Attorneys. The Senate Judiciary Committee has yet to schedule votes votes for another 10 would-be U.S. Attorneys, including the nominees Obama tapped today and last Tuesday. One of Obama’s nominees, Stephanie Villafuerte of Colorado, withdrew from consideration two weeks ago.

Patrick Leahy (gov)

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday urged the Senate to confirm several nominees approved by his committee, including five Justice Department officials and two prospective U.S. Attorneys.

The nominees are:

• Dawn Johnsen, who was approved by his committee on March 19, for head of the Office of Legal Counsel.
• Mary L. Smith, who was reported out of the committee June 11, for head of the Tax Division.
• Christopher Schroeder, who was reported by the Judiciary panel  July 28, for head of the Office of Legal Policy.
• Susan B. Carbon, who was reported out of committee Dec. 3, for head of the Violence Against Women Office.
• John Laub, who was reported out of committee Dec. 3, for head of the National Institute of Justice.
• Sanford Coats, who was reported out of committee Dec. 3, for U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
• Mary Elizabeth Phillips, who was reported out of committee Dec. 3, for U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

In a press release, Leahy said, “This year we have witnessed unprecedented delays in the consideration of qualified and noncontroversial nominations,” adding,  “We have had to waste weeks seeking time agreements in order to consider nominations that were then confirmed unanimously.  I hope that instead of withholding consent and threatening filibusters of President Obama’s judicial nominees, Senate Republicans will treat the nominees of President Obama fairly.”

He continued, “During President Bush’s last year in office, we reduced judicial vacancies to as low as 34, even though it was a presidential election year.  Judicial vacancies have now spiked.  There are currently 97 vacancies on our federal circuit and district courts, and 23 more have already been announced.  This is approaching record levels.  I know we can do better.  Justice should not be delayed or denied to any American because of overburdened courts and the lack of federal judges.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee this morning gave its voice-vote approval to the nominations of two Justice Department directors and two U.S. Attorneys.

They are:

Susan B. Carbon (National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges)

- Susan Carbon, who is nominated to be director of the Office on Violence Against Women. The supervisory judge of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch Family Division was nominated Oct. 5. She would succeed Cindy Dyer, who resigned in January. Read more about Carbon here.

John Laub (University of Maryland)

- John H. Laub, who would be director of the National Institute of Justice. The University of Maryland professor was tapped Oct. 5. He would succeed David Hagy, who stepped down in January. Read more about the nominee here.

- Mary Elizabeth Phillips, nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Phillips, who was nominated Sept. 30, would succeed John Wood, who resigned in February. Read more about Phillips here.

- Sanford Coats, who would be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Coats also was tapped on Sept. 30. He would succeed John Richter, who stepped down in August. Read more about the nominee here.

The panel has now endorsed 26 U.S. Attorney nominees, including 24 U.S. Attorneys who have been confirmed by the Senate. Eight other would-be U.S. Attorneys are still pending before the committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee this week is tentatively slated to vote on the nominations of two Justice Department directors and two U.S. Attorneys, according to the panel’s Web site. The nominees are among a long list of bills and nominations on the panel’s Thursday business meeting agenda.

They are:

Susan B. Carbon (National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges)

- Susan Carbon, who is nominated to be director of the Office on Violence Against Women. The supervisory judge of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch Family Division was nominated Oct. 5. She would succeed Cindy Dyer, who resigned in January. Read more about Carbon here.

John Laub (University of Maryland)

- John H. Laub, who would be director of the National Institute of Justice. The University of Maryland professor was tapped Oct. 5. He would succeed David Hagy, who stepped down in January. Read more about the nominee here.

- Mary Elizabeth Phillips, nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Phillips, who was  nominated Sept. 30, would succeed John Wood, who resigned in February. Read more about Phillips here.

- Sanford Coats, who would be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Coats also was tapped on Sept. 30. He would succeed John Richter, who stepped down in August. Read more about the nominee here.

Eight other would-be U.S. Attorneys are pending before the committee, including four nominees that President Barack Obama tapped yesterday.

The committee may also resume its work on legislation that would shield journalists from being required to divulge their sources in many cases. The panel last took action on that bill at its Nov. 19 session.

Beth Phillips (University of Chicago, University of Missouri) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. She would replace John F. Wood, who resigned in February.

Her vitals:

• Born in Kirksville, Mo., in 1969.
• Has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Missouri since August 2008.
• Worked as a litigation consultant in the Western District of Missouri from June 2008 to July 2008.
• Was an associate at Bartimus, Frickleton, Robertson & Gorny in Leawood, Kan., from September 2001 to February 2008.
• Was a special prosecutor in the Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court from 2002 to 2008.
• Worked as an assistant prosecutor in the Jackson County, Mo., prosecutor’s office from June 1997 to August 2001.
• Served as a legislative assistant to Rep. Pat Danner (D-Mo.) from January 1993 to June 1994.
• Was a legislative correspondent to the Senate Special Committee on Aging from July 1992 to December 1992.
• Tried approximately 40 cases to verdict, 90 percent of which were jury trials. Served as chief counsel in approximately 25 of the cases and associate counsel in the remainder.
• Earned a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago.

Click here for her full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On her Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure Phillips reports earning $12,708 from Bartimus, Frickleton, Robertson & Gorny in 2008. On her Senate Judiciary financial disclosure she reports assets of $1,193,100 and liabilities of $214,000 for a net worth of $979,100.