WASHINGTON - March 12 - Today the Senate voted 65-28 to confirm David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General. People For the American Way president Kathryn Kolbert issued the following statement:

"It's incredible to think that Senate Republicans considered filibustering David Ogden's nomination even for a second. Ogden is a widely respected attorney with previous Justice Department experience and bipartisan support. But to listen to some Republicans and Religious Right leaders talk about him, you could be excused for thinking that President Obama had actually nominated Larry Flynt."

"In reality, Ogden is a seasoned lawyer and public servant whose hard work has earned him the support of the National District Attorneys Association, Fraternal Order of Police, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and many others. He is precisely the type of person we need at the helm of the Justice Department as it tackles the many challenges facing our nation. Fortunately a bipartisan majority of Senators saw past the smears directed at Ogden, but the obstructionist threats and extreme rhetoric from the most conservative Senators set a bad precedent for future nominations."