TOKYO — The White House’s top lawyer is returning to private practice and being replaced by a longtime adviser to Barack Obama.
White House Counsel Greg Craig, who is leaving in early January, has been the subject of repeated questions about his future since the summer. Centered on talk that Obama’s promise to close the Guantanamo Bay military prison by January had gone awry under Craig’s leadership, the questions were settled Friday when the White House announced Craig’s departure.
Bob Bauer, who was general counsel on Obama’s presidential campaign and a longtime adviser to Obama, has agreed to take Craig’s place. He is to take over as White House counsel by the end of the year.
Craig’s resignation was the highest-ranking one so far in Obama’s 10-month presidency. It came just hours before Attorney General Eric Holder announced that five Sept. 11 suspects will be sent to New York to face trial in a civilian federal court.
Craig also oversaw the president’s revamping of U.S. policy on terrorism interrogations and detentions, including a ban on torture, and was at the center of administration moves to release many documents relating to the treatment of terrorism suspects under the Bush administration.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Craig’s departure was not due to any dissatisfaction with his handling of Guantanamo policy. Craig was known to have told Obama at the outset that he didn’t want to serve in the counsel role for more than a year.
