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Norton Says Trump Administration Insults D.C. Residents by Nominating New CSOSA Director Without Any Local Consultation

July 16, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today strongly criticized the Trump administration for its continued refusal to give her the ordinary courtesy of at least some consultation or notice on nominations for federal law enforcement officials serving the District of Columbia after the administration last week announced its intent to nominate Richard S. Tischner, of Virginia, to serve as director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA). Tischner currently serves as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and the Chief of the Superior Court Division at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

Norton said the administration has refused to consult with her on federal judges and other federal officials serving the District, but this nomination is particularly insulting since CSOSA's only role is the supervision of offenders convicted under D.C. law. D.C. Code offenders are the only state or local felons housed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

"The Trump administration continues to ignore the voice and input of D.C. residents when selecting federal officials to serve them," Norton said. "I have no reason to believe Mr. Tischner is not qualified to serve as the director of CSOSA. However, it is insulting that the Trump administration would not even consult with me on a position that uniquely serves only one population: my constituents. I expect to meet with Mr. Tischner in the coming weeks to discuss the issues facing CSOSA and the unique challenges encountered by D.C.'s returning citizens, who are the only local felons housed by the federal government, as they reenter society."

Presidents Obama and Clinton granted Norton senatorial courtesy to recommend to the president federal district judges, the U.S. Attorney and other federal law enforcement officials who serve the District, resulting in the D.C. District Court becoming one of the most high-quality and diverse federal benches in the nation. To afford participation by D.C. residents, she chose to form a Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission, comprised of distinguished lawyers and laypeople from every ward, chaired by Pauline Schneider, a former president of the D.C. Bar, to screen and recommend candidates to her, all of whom were D.C. residents or agreed to move into D.C. Norton then made her recommendations to the president, who nominated all of her selections. Unlike President George W. Bush, who extended her at least the courtesy of consultation, Trump has not provided Norton with any role in the nomination of federal district court judges and federal law enforcement officials in the District.