*First African American DHS Sec.
*Johnson’s first name (pronounced “Jay”) is taken from a Liberian chief, who reportedly saved his grandfather’s life while Dr. Johnson was on a League of Nations mission to Liberia in 1930
*Johnson is active in Democratic Party politics, as a fundraiser and adviser to presidential campaigns. Johnson served as special counsel to John Kerry‘s 2004 presidential campaign, and was an early supporter of Barack Obama‘s presidential campaign, active as a foreign policy adviser and as a member of his national finance committee.
*Helped repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy
* In January 2011, Johnson provoked controversy when, according to a Department of Defense news story, he asserted in a speech at the Pentagon that deceased civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. would have supported the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, despite King’s outspoken opposition to American interventionism during his lifetime. Johnson argued that American soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq were playing the role of the Good Samaritan, consistent with Martin Luther King Jr.’s beliefs, and that they were fighting to establish the peace for which Dr. King hoped. Jeremy Scahill of Salon.com called Johnson’s remarks “one of the most despicable attempts at revisionist use of Martin Luther King Jr. I’ve ever seen,” while Justin Elliott (also of Salon.com) argued that based on Dr. King’s opposition to the Vietnam War, he would likely have opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the covert wars in Pakistan and Yemen.
*In a February 2011, speech to the New York City Bar Association, Johnson “acknowledged the concerns raised” about the detention of alleged WikiLeaks source Private Bradley Manning and “stated that he had personally traveled to Quantico to conduct an investigation.” Human rights attorney and journalist Scott Horton wrote that “Johnson was remarkably unforthcoming about what he discovered and what conclusions he drew from his visit.”
*At a speech at Yale Law School in February 2012, Johnson defended “targeted killings”.
*Prior to his appointment as General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Johnson was a partner at the New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Wall St. Reps for Gitmo Detainees) of which he was the first African American to be elected to that firm’s partnership and to which he returned after his four years at the Defense Department. (Revenue was 3/4 Billion in 2011)
(CNN) – The Senate broke another Republican filibuster on Monday in confirming former top Pentagon lawyer Jeh Johnson to head the Homeland Security Department.
The vote to approve Johnson, a key architect of President Barack Obama’s anti-terrorism policies that have included stepped up drone use in terrorist hotspots, was 78-16.
Johnson was nominated by Obama in October and will replace former Secretary Janet Napolitano, who left the Cabinet post earlier this year to head California’s public university system.
Johnson will be the fourth secretary of the department that was created in response to the 9/11 attacks.
A member of Obama’s original transition team, Johnson was most recently the Pentagon’s top lawyer where he reviewed military operations. He also was instrumental in counter-terror policy that involved increased reliance on unmanned drones under Obama.
Republicans accused Johnson of being a political loyalist of the President who lacked experience in border security.
The Senate also cleared Ann Patterson to be Undersecretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Republicans filibustered her appointment as well.
Johnson’s confirmation occurred as partisan rancor hits new heights in the Senate over procedural changes imposed by majority Democrats to weaken Republican attempts to block or slow presidential appointments.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would push for approval of other nominees before lawmakers leave town for the holidays by the end of the week.
These include Janet Yellen to head the Federal Reserve; Robert Wilkins to sit on the federal appeals court in the District of Columbia, Alejandra Mayorkas as Johnson’s deputy and John Koskinen to lead the IRS.
Mayorkas’s nomination is especially controversial. Several GOP Senators don’t want him confirmed until an inspector general investigation is completed into a controversy over a visa program that he oversees.
During the partisan flareup over changes in its rules, the Senate remained in session through the night twice over the past week.
“Although we accomplished a great deal, the process was neither easy nor pleasant,” said Reid.
Republicans have not said if they will force overnight sessions this week in order to slow consideration of remaining nominees.
The Senate is also considering defense policy and budget bills this week. Reid has said the Senate could finish its work as early as Thursday if Republicans cooperate but held out that it might take until Christmas Eve if they don’t.