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Monday, January 5, 2009 12:00 AM

Obama's impressive new OLC chief

A law professor with a history of strident condemnation of Bush radicalism is named to one of the most important positions in the executive branch.

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  • Monday, January 5, 2009 03:54 PM

    What's This OLC Thing? Is There An OLC Omerta?

    Glenn's link in the first graph answers most of the questions about what Newsweek has called "the most important government agency no one's ever heard of."

    It was created by an act of Congress in 1934; and it was all all boy's club, all the way, until Dawn Johnsen got in there in 1996.

    Most of the OLC ol' boys served two, three, or four years at most, except one. Former Chief Justice William Rehnquist practically made a home of the place, serving as OLC chief from 1960-71. Antonin Scalia hung his hat there too, after Rehnquist, though for a shorter time.

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