Top White House lawyer quitting

THE White House’s top lawyer is returning to private practice and being replaced by a longtime adviser to Barack Obama.

White House counsel Greg Craig, who is leaving in early January, has been the subject of repeated questions about his future since late summer. Centred on talk that Obama’s promise to close the Guantanamo Bay military prison by January had gone awry under Craig’s leadership, the questions were settled yesterday when the White House announced Craig’s departure.

It was the highest-ranking resignation so far in Obama’s 10-month presidency.

Craig also oversaw the president’s revamping of US policy on terrorism interrogations and detentions, including a ban on torture, and was at the centre of administration moves to release documents relating to the treatment of terror suspects under the Bush administration. He also was instrumental in the White House’s decision to resist the release of photos of abuse of detainees overseas by US personnel. Those decisions earned Obama criticism.

Obama issued a statement praising Craig as a trusted adviser who took on difficult challenges.

He is to be replaced by Bob Bauer, a longtime advisor of Obama.