New DHS Secretary to be Nominated

President Barack Obama plans to appoint former Defense Department general counsel Jeh Johnson to succeed Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Secretary. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Johnson would be the first African-American to lead DHS.

Read the statement from the Executive Office of the President on Mr. Johnson’s background and qualifications:

Biography

Jeh Johnson is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP. He was made the firm’s first African American partner in 1993. 1993. Throughout his career, he has taken time away from private practice to assume significant leadership roles in government. From 2009 to 2012, he served as General Counsel of the Department of Defense (DoD). He also served as General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force from 1998 to 2001. Mr. Johnson served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1989 to 1991. He was an Associate at Sullivan & Cromwell from 1982 to 1984. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College and Columbia Law School.

Jeh Johnson is one the most highly qualified and respected national security leaders, having served as the senior lawyer for the largest government agency in the world. During his tenure at the Department of Defense, he was known for his sound judgment and counsel. He was responsible for the prior legal review and approval of every military operation approved by the President and Secretary of Defense.

• Johnson is well-qualified for this role.

o Served nearly seven years in senior leadership roles at DoD during two Administrations. He has demonstrated the keen ability to assess an organization’s capacity, capability, and willingness to implement complex and dramatic policy changes. Furthermore, his successful experience with consensus building around sensitive issues made him one of the most trusted advisors to senior Administration officials.

o He was a critical member of the President’s counterterrorism team. By advising the President and two Secretaries of Defense, he was at the center of the development of some of the most sensitive and important national security policies and strategies during the first term.

o He has been at the forefront of major changes of law. He is credited with co-leading the review and authoring the report, which paved the way for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2010.

• Johnson is seen as a strong leader and effective manager. During his most recent tenure at DoD, he was responsible for the legal work of more than 10,000 military and civilian lawyers.

• Johnson is consistently praised by current and former members of the military as an honest broker with a firm understanding of the law, while also staying focused on the mission.

• Johnson is seen as a stalwart for cooperation within interagency process and the importance of a whole of government approach to law enforcement and protecting the homeland.

In an interview with MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell following the capture of Boston Bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Johnson reminded viewers that he was a strong proponent of not “over militarizing” the government’s counterterrorism efforts. He made it clear that counterterrorism is a whole of government effort.

• Johnson was a key decision maker on various legal questions regarding different points of overlap between the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security. During disaster responses, the Department of Defense oftentimes coordinates with DHS to provide personnel, equipment, money and other resources. Whether it was Hurricane Sandy or the Deepwater Oil Spill, DoD was working with its partner, DHS, to support the government’s efforts to quickly respond effectively. Johnson’s legal counsel allowed DoD to fulfill its responsibilities in a timely manner.

• Johnson has significant experience working with state/local partners. His experience [as the Assistant Attorney General in the Southern District of NY, the GC at the Department of Defense, etc.] provides him a strong foundation for understanding the dynamic of working across all levels of government – local, state, and federal – to get the job done, whether in response to natural or manmade threats or in addressing key long-term policy issues, like border security.