Obama picks SD senator’s son as US attorney

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama nominated Brendan Johnson, the 34-year-old son of Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on Friday to serve as U.S. attorney for South Dakota.

The elder Johnson, who has served in the Senate since 1997, said he did not take part in the nomination process. The state’s senior congressional member of a president’s political party typically puts forth a name for consideration. If confirmed, the younger Johnson would be the state’s top federal prosecutor.

“My father said, ‘Don’t consult me. Don’t update me. I’m not going to be involved in the process,’” the younger Johnson said in January. Johnson allowed The Associated Press to view his application, saying he wanted to be transparent. The application included support from Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., and former Republican Gov. Bill Janklow, a former congressman.

Johnson sought the U.S. attorney nomination in January and said he would seek the support of South Dakotans from both political parties because his family connection would prevent his father from recommending him. Johnson sent his application directly to the Obama administration.

The younger Johnson said Friday he was honored by his nomination but could not comment until his Senate hearing.

The senator said Friday in a statement that “while I stepped back from this nomination process so it would remain unbiased, as a father and a lawyer, I’m very proud of Brendan. As a senator from South Dakota, I have every confidence that Brendan will do a fine job in this post.”

Johnson spokeswoman Julianne Fisher said the senator was not contacted by the White House about the nomination but learned about it from his son. “The senator stayed out of it and let his son’s application speak for itself,” Fisher said.

Obama nominated Johnson along with five other U.S. attorneys, saying they had “distinguished themselves as some of the best and brightest their profession has to offer.”

The younger Johnson is a partner with the Sioux Falls, S.D., firm of Johnson, Heidepriem, Abdallah and Johnson, which he joined in 2005. He has also worked as a defense lawyer and a deputy state’s attorney for Minnehaha County.

The senator suffered a life-threatening brain hemorrhage in December 2006, but returned to the Senate in September 2007 and was re-elected last year.