It’s official: Joseph Russoniello is Northern California’s new U.S. attorney.
Legal Pad just got word from a Senate Judiciary staffer that the full Senate passed Russoniello’s nomination tonight by unanimous consent — just before the upper chamber is set to depart for a month-long holiday break. This came after the Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t even take a formal vote on him. According to the aide for chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), if an executive nomination doesn’t have any opposition, the committee can be discharged of its obligation and the nomination can be passed without a formal vote. That’s what happened with Russoniello.
Legal Pad called Russoniello for comment, and we wound up informing him of the news. He was mingling at the San Francisco Law School’s holiday party at the yacht club. “Well thanks very much!” he said.
Russoniello said he had been planning to go out of town tomorrow, but said he might change those plans because he would like to be sworn in as soon as possible. He said he would be in the office no later than Monday, Jan. 7.
“I’m looking forward to it and I’m very excited,” he said.
Russoniello takes office after an interim tenure by Scott Schools, who returns to Washington to take a top Justice Department slot. He will have a full plate of cases waiting for him in the office, including some possible investigation targets. Of course, whether Russoniello personally handles those cases, or recuses himself because of his personal stock holdings, will be worth watching!
— Dan Levine
Comments