Durbin, Duckworth Renew Request for U.S. Attorney John Lausch to Remain in His Position Until Confirmation of His Successor
WASHINGTON – Following an announcement by the Biden Justice Department that Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorneys appointed under the previous Administration were to submit their resignations by February 28, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) renewed their request that John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, be permitted to remain in his position until the confirmation of his successor. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Durbin and Duckworth noted that there is precedent for U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois to remain in office across administrations in order to conclude sensitive investigations. Durbin and Duckworth first voiced their desire to retain Mr. Lausch until his successor is confirmed back in November 2020.
“We have made our position clear on Mr. Lausch’s retention both publicly and privately, including in direct conversations with the White House Counsel as recently as last week,” the Senators wrote. “We reiterate today that John Lausch should be permitted to remain in place until the confirmation of his successor.”
In August 2017, the non-partisan screening committee set up by Durbin and Duckworth to assist them in evaluating candidates for vacant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, and federal judgeship positions in Illinois recommended Mr. Lausch to serve as the next United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. He was unanimously confirmed by voice vote in the Senate on November 9, 2017.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
February 9, 2021
Dear President Biden:
We renew our request that John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL), be permitted to remain in his position until the confirmation of his successor.
Although Mr. Lausch was nominated by President Trump, we endorsed his nomination after our non-partisan screening committee reviewed Mr. Lausch’s qualifications and gave him a favorable recommendation. Mr. Lausch was confirmed by the Senate by unanimous voice vote on November 9, 2017, and he was sworn in to a four-year term as U.S. Attorney on November 22, 2017. He has served with professionalism and without partisanship, including in his handling of highly sensitive investigations.
We recognize that Presidents have the right to remove U.S. Attorneys at will, and we acknowledge that President Trump abruptly terminated the tenure of Mr. Lausch’s predecessor as NDIL U.S. Attorney, Zach Fardon. However, there is precedent for U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois to remain in office across administrations in order to conclude sensitive investigations.
We have made our position clear on Mr. Lausch’s retention both publicly and privately, including in direct conversations with the White House Counsel as recently as last week. We reiterate today that John Lausch should be permitted to remain in place until the confirmation of his successor.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
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