Dempsey Nominated for Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board

President Bush announced his intention to nominate Center for Democracy and Technology Vice President for Public Policy James X. Dempsey to serve a five year term on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. The board is an independent agency within the executive branch that will review the civil liberties impact of anti-terrorism policies and programs, providing advice on policy development and implementation and oversight of government actions relating to terrorism. In legislation adopted last year, Congress reconstituted the Board and made it independent of the White House. The position, which is subject to Senate confirmation, is part-time, so Dempsey, if confirmed, will continue in his position with CDT. In March, President Bush named the Republicans that he wants to serve on the panel: Homeland Security Department civil liberties officer Daniel Sutherland, constitutional law professor Ronald Rotunda and General Electric Chief Security Officer Francis Taylor. The terms of its original members expired in January and the President has not announced the name of the candidate who would fill the remaining Democratic slot.