The Nation‘s Net Movement Correspondent Ari Melber joins GRITtv to discuss why Dawn Johnsen withdrew her nomination for Office of Legal Counsel and the significance of her move. The right came out fighting against Johnsen’s nomination primarily because of what conservatives have called her "extremist" views on abortion. Melber explains that though the right attacked her for her abortion views, she was nominated for her history of upholding the rule of law and human rights.

Melber argues that Obama deserves credit for nominating Johnsen, but dropping her when it was clear she wasn’t going to get a vote is "confounding and concerning." Host Laura Flanders asks if her withdrawal is a sign that Obama has cooled on enforcing the rule of law within his administration. Melber counters that it’s probably not so black and white. "I think that the people in the administration who are pushing against these [rule of law] issues are winning these battles," Melber said. "And [Johnsen] being pushed out here…is a clear sign of that. Justice and human rights groups have been all too silent on these issues."

–Morgan Ashenfelter