Greg Craig is Out in Guantanamo Dispute

Bob Bauer, husband of Anita Dunn (who recently resigned with the Obama administration), is replacing Greg Craig as White House lawyer, over Gitmo. Craig was criticized for not handling the politics of closing Gitmo very well. Bauer is seen as more politically savvy, according to Chuck Todd. See Craig's resignation letter here.

Here's an update--Gibbs disputes the dispute:

Said Gibbs: "The president sees Greg as a friend and trusted adviser and someone whose contributions to this administration are lengthy, particularly in setting up a process that will result in the [closure] of Guantanamo Bay. [Craig] was instrumental in both picking [and] nominating … the first Latina Supreme Court justice, in Sonya Sotomayor, in running a big operation in the White House, in helping to shepherd judicial picks in general – not just the selection, but through the committee process on Capitol Hill."

AP's Mark Smith asked: "To be clear, Craig is NOT leaving because the president is dissatisfied in any way with his handling of Guantanamo?"

"That's correct," Gibbs replied. Politico

Meanwhile, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind in 9-11 attacks, will be prosecuted in New York City with a civilian trial.

The White House's top lawyer is announcing his resignation on Friday, senior administration officials said.

White House counsel Greg Craig has been the subject of questions about his future since late summer, dogged by talk that President Obama's promise to close the controversial Guantanamo Bay military prison by January went awry under Craig's leadership.

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 terror suspects under the Bush administration — and to oppose the release of photos of abuse of detainees overseas by U.S. personnel. All those decisions earned Obama considerable criticism, some from the right and some from the left. More at NPR

Obama's statement:

The White House today announced today that White House Counsel Greg Craig will return to private practice and Bob Bauer will serve as White House Counsel.

“Greg Craig is a close friend and trusted advisor who tackled many tough challenges as White House Counsel,” said President Obama. “Because of Greg’s leadership, we have confirmed the first Latina justice on the Supreme Court, set the toughest ethics standards for any administration in history, and ensured that we are keeping the nation secure in a manner that is consistent with our laws and our values. I’m indebted to Greg not only for leading the Counsel’s office but for his many decades of service to this country as well. He has been a huge asset in the White House, and he will be missed. I will continue to call on him for advice in the years ahead.”

Bauer is currently a partner at Perkins Coie. He will begin serving as White House Counsel by the end of this year.

“Bob has served as a trusted counselor for many years to many elected officials and is known as a tough and widely respected advocate,” said President Obama. “Bob is well-positioned to lead the Counsel’s office as it addresses a wide variety of responsibilities, including managing the large amount of litigation the administration inherited, identifying judicial nominees for the federal courts, and assuring that White House officials continue to be held to the highest legal and ethical standards.”

Attached is a letter from Greg Craig to the President.

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