Obama Nominates Four For Top Justice Department Posts

U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled his choices for a host of critical spots at the Department of Justice, including Christine Varney, a former Federal Trade Commission member nominated for a top antitrust position.

On his second day in office, Obama nominated Varney to be Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Time Warner Inc. (TMX) General Counsel David Kris to be Assistant Attorney General for National Security, litigator Tony West to Assistant Attorney General for Civil Division, and former Clinton administration official Lanny Breuer to be Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Division.

"The American people deserve to have faith that their Justice Department will keep them safe and uphold our most basic rights," Obama said in a statement. "This group has the depth of experience and integrity necessary to accomplish these goals."

Varney, whose nomination was first reported in The Wall Street Journal, is a partner at Hogan & Hartson, where she heads the firm's internet practice. According to the firm's website, she has provided antitrust, competition policy, and regulatory advice to companies, including EBay Inc. (EBAY), Fox Interactive Media/MySpace, and Orbitz Worldwide Inc (OWW).

-By Henry J. Pulizzi, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9256; [e-mail]

Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.