Obama forced to withdraw controversial Justice Department nominee

President Barack Obama on Monday formally withdrew a controversial choice to be an assistant Attorney General at the Justice Department, after the Senate — including seven Democrats — rejected the nominee earlier this year. The White House announced the Deb Adegbile was no longer in the running to work under Attorney General Eric Holder.

President Barack Obama tried to move a controversial Justice Department nominee back in March, but failed, and was forced to withdraw that nominee on Monday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Adegbile used to lead the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and in that position, he did legal work for a man who killed a Philadelphia police officer more than 30 years ago. Adegbile succeeded in overturning the death sentence for the man, Mumia Abu-Jamal. That background made him a tough pick to move through the Senate. Every Republican opposed him, as did seven senators, and in March he failed to win confirmation in a 47-52 vote. The vote was a significant loss for Democrats that showed the limits that even Obama faces in a Democratic Senate that has confirmed every one of his nominees since late last year, when Democrats changed the rules to allow Obama's picks to be approved by simple majority votes. The vote gave Adegbile little hope of ever being confirmed, and in a Monday posting on the White House website, it was announced that officials sent word to the Senate that he had been withdrawn as a nominee.