ROCKVILLE, Md. — Maryland’s U.S. attorney, Rod Rosenstein, has prosecuted a wide variety of defendants — from human traffickers to well-placed politicians.
And those familiar with his track record say Rosenstein, originally appointed by a Republican administration, does the job with an eye to just one thing: achieving justice under the law.
Rosenstein appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to begin confirmation hearings for the job of deputy U.S. attorney general.
The nominee will be under especially intense scrutiny in the coming days, as questions continue to plague President Trump’s administration and Rosenstein’s would-be superior, Jeff Sessions, over both alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and Russia’s possible ties to the Trump campaign.
Last week, the attorney general recused himself from any such investigations.
Going into these high-profile hearings, the nominee is receiving strong support from several Maryland officials.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen told WTOP that he looked forward to joining the senior senator from Maryland, fellow Democrat Ben Cardin, in introducing Rosenstein to the committee.
Noting Rosenstein’s reputation among Democrats and Republicans alike, Van Hollen said: “I think everybody, regardless of political party, believes that he is somebody who pursues justice.
“He pursues the facts.”
Asked about the selection of Rosenstein for deputy attorney general, Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 8th District, called him “a solid guy.”
A page on the committee’s website that is dedicated to Rosenstein’s nomination includes 33 letters from supporters, including former Solicitor General Theodore Olson and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Olson wrote that Rosenstein “will be precisely the kind of deputy attorney general the Justice Department needs.”
Former Sen. Barbara Mikulski called Rosenstein “a man of character” and told the committee, “In these polarized times, now more than ever, we need a strong, experienced leader at the Department of Justice who is fair and committed to the equal application of our laws.”
Brian Frosh, Maryland’s attorney general, wrote that Rosenstein would be an “outstanding” deputy attorney general, and the Democrat urged the committee to support the nomination.
Among the cases Rosenstein’s office prosecuted is the corruption case against former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife, Leslie Johnson.
WTOP’s Jack Pointer contributed to this report.
