President Announces Pick For Assistant AG For Civil Rights

The White House announced yesterday that President Bush intends to nominate Grace C. Becker to head the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Becker currently serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Division. Previously Becker had been Associate Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Defense and a prosecutor with the Department of Justice. Earlier she clerked for DC Circuit Judge James L. Buckley and DC District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson. A biographical sketch of Becker on the website of The Institute for Corean-American Studies has additional information. Becker will replace Wan J. Kim who resigned in August. (See prior posting.) In recent years, the Civil Rights Division has shown an increased interest in religious liberty issue. (See prior posting.) [Thanks to How Appealing for the lead.]