The Honorable Jim Webb

United States Senator
Virginia
February 5, 2009

Statement of Senator Jim Webb
On the Nomination of
David Ogden to serve as Deputy Attorney General of the United States

Before the Senate Judiciary Committee
February 5, 2009

Mr. Chairman, today it is my distinct pleasure to introduce--along with my former colleague Senator John Warner--David Ogden, who has been nominated to serve as Deputy Attorney General of the United States.

The career of this nominee is impressive.

During almost 28 years in the practice of law, including nearly seven years of government service and two as a judicial law clerk, David Ogden has established a record of success in the critical areas that he would oversee as Deputy Attorney General. In the Department of Justice, he served with distinction as Chief of Staff and Counselor to Attorney General Reno, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, and Associate Deputy Attorney General.

As Deputy General Counsel to the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Ogden earned the highest medal awarded to civilians for his exemplary national security service. In light of this impressive work at the Pentagon, Mr. Ogden is being supported by twelve admirals and generals from the Judge Advocates General Corps who headed the military legal departments in that period. His practice of working closely with and listening to our senior military lawyers will be of great value as he oversees the investigative and prosecutorial arm of America's national security apparatus.

Outside of government, Mr. Ogden has extensive experience as a senior counsel in antitrust, civil rights, criminal, environmental, and international law. As a litigator he has expertise in civil, administrative and constitutional law.

Mr. Ogden lives in Arlington, Va. with his wife, Anne and their three children. He has been a Virginia resident since 1983. Mr. Ogden earned a bachelor's degree summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1976 and his law degree magna cum laude in 1981 from Harvard Law School.

I want to thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to make these remarks about this outstanding Virginian. Again, it is with pride that I join Senator John Warner in introducing David Ogden to each of my colleagues on this committee and the entire United States Senate.