Norman L. Eisen

Norman L. Eisen (born November 11, 1960, Los Angeles^[1]) is the current United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic. He assumed that position on January 28, 2011.

Early life and education

Eisen received his B.A. from Brown University in 1985 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1991, both with honors.

Professional career

Eisen practised law in Washington for over 18 years before joining the transitional team of then-President-elect Barack Obama. On January 20, 2009, he was named Special Counsel for Ethics and Government Reform in the administration.

In 2003, Eisen co-founded Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a government watchdog organization.

He earned his nickname Mr. No for his plan that became known for provisions banning registered lobbyists from taking positions in the administration.

Ambassadorship

Eisen is to become the first Ambassador to the country nominated by President Obama. The preceding Ambassador, Richard Graber, left the country on the day President George W. Bush's second term expired and there was no Ambassador for more than two years. The US diplomatic mission in Prague was headed by chargé d'affaires.

In June 2010, President Obama nominated Eisen to be ambassador to the Czech Republic.^[2]

In late 2010, President Obama gave Eisen a recess appointment. The appointment was to be good for only one year, unless the full U.S. Senate were to confirm him.

Throughout 2011, Senator Chuck Grassley filibustered Eisen's nomination because Eisen pushed to fire Gerald Walpin, the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in 2009.^[3] Grassley had contended that Eisen's actions in that incident violated the law for removing an inspector general, and that Eisen subsequently misled congressional investigators. Eisen ultimately apologized in a letter for answering questions "inaccurately" during a June 2009 meeting.^[4] Even so, Senate Republicans continued to filibuster Eisen's nomination.

On December 8, 2011, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed for cloture on Eisen's nomination.^[5] On December 12, 2011, the United States Senate voted 70–16 for cloture to confirm Eisen.^[6] Immediately following that vote, the Senate confirmed Eisen by a voice vote.^[7]

Personal

His parents are American Jewish immigrants and Holocaust survivors. The mother, who was in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, is originally from Czechoslovakia, the father from Poland.

Eisen is married to Lindsay Kaplan, an associate professor at Georgetown University. The couple has one daughter, Tamar.

References

1. ^ "New U.S. ambassador Eisen takes up office in Prague". Czech News Agency. 28 January 2011. http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/new-u-s-ambassador-eisen-takes-up-office-in-prague/588147. Retrieved 28 January 2011. 
2. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts-62810
3. ^ http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre7bc06d-us-usa-ambassadors/
4. ^ http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre7bc06d-us-usa-ambassadors/
5. ^ http://democrats.senate.gov/2011/12/08/cloture-filed-on-eisen-and-aponte-nominations/
6. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/post/obama-ambassadorial-nominees-eisen-clears-senate-but-aponte-is-blocked/2011/12/12/gIQAlTnqqO_blog.html
7. ^ http://www.senate.gov/galleries/pdcl/

External links

• White House press release announcing Eisen as the new Ambassador to the Czech Republic
• Media related to Norman L. Eisen at Wikimedia Commons