An increasingly concerned President Joe Biden is scrambling to get his proverbial ducks in a row ahead of rumors of a potential upcoming impeachment inquiry. One of these ducks is the appointment of a new White House Counsel, Ed Siskel.
White House veteran Siskel served as deputy counsel during his nearly four-year tenure in the White House Counsel’s Office. He will be succeeding the current counsel, Stuart Delery, who is scheduled to vacate the position next month.
Notably, this transition in President Biden’s senior legal counsel arrives amidst investigations and mounting evidence against the president, his administration, and the Biden family. These increasingly complex investigations include bribery, the origins of COVID-19, mishandling of classified documents, and government-wide agency coverups of all emerging scandals. Republicans have been floating the idea of launching an impeachment inquiry when the House reconvenes later this month.
Siskel will be replacing Delery in September. Delery has been serving Biden’s team since 2020 and was responsible for the legal framework supporting the student loan handout and the Inflation Reduction Act. He additionally helped the Biden administration create new rules regarding immigration and the southern border.
Prior to serving the Obama administration, Siskel, a graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Chicago Law School, held positions as U.S. Supreme Court clerk, the associate deputy attorney general for the Justice Department, and as a federal prosecutor for the Illinois U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Following his service in the Obama administration, Siskel worked for two years in private practice and two years under former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as corporation counsel.
But it’s most likely his experience in squashing White House scandals that caught Biden’s eye. Having previously served under Obama, Siskel is no stranger to dodging political bullets. During his time with the Obama administration, he helped the former president dance around multiple scandals, including Benghazi, Solyndra, and other congressional inquiries. He played an instrumental role in rolling out the Affordable Care Act and defending it during subsequent legal battles.
The White House counsel does not act as the president’s personal lawyer, however. The office was created to provide advice and guide legal proceedings rather than represent the president or administrative clients in court. They provide legal advice and guidance on matters such as policies, laws, ethics, and conflicts of interest.
This office also helps the President make decisions about legislation, handles legal issues that might come up during the President’s term, and manages relationships with other legal entities like the Department of Justice. In addition, they oversee appointments, manage official and political activities, and play a role in decisions related to pardons and judicial selections.
The White House stated that in his new position, Siskel will “lead a team serving the President with counsel on legal matters facing the White House and the country” and help to advance executive actions and policies that will push the administration’s agenda.
But Siskel will play a crucial role in the unfolding investigations and allegations of Biden. During investigations into the president, the role of the White House Counsel is to protect legal privileges, like attorney-client privilege and executive privilege, and to determine which information may be safeguarded from public disclosure. The White House Counsel negotiates the terms of legal engagement, which include the extent of information sharing, interviews, and other collaborative actions.
If the President or administration officials are called to testify, the Counsel’s Office aids in preparing witnesses and ensuring they are well-versed in the process and their rights and that they are well-coached in providing testimony. Depending on the nature of the investigation, White House Counsel may also engage in negotiations or settlements with investigators.
While Biden praises Siskel’s years of public service and experiences defending the rule of law, it’s most likely his experience in presidential “clean up” that makes him a good choice for the administration.
But wiping up Obama’s messes pales in comparison to his upcoming work in mitigating Biden’s political and personal disasters. If Biden falls as hard as most Republicans are predicting, Siskel will almost certainly be held at least partially responsible, and his legal career will be finished.
Here’s hoping Siskel got a raise when he agreed to work with this administration because after the next two years, he’ll be lucky to land a job at a fast-food drive-through.
