No. 2 official leaving Justice Department

Insiders say Ogden never clicked with Holder

By Carrie Johnson

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 4, 2009

The Justice Department's second in command announced Thursday that he will step down from one of the most critical law enforcement posts in the nation after less than a year of service, bringing to the surface tensions that have long simmered over management of the vast department.

Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden, who won Senate confirmation in March, will step down next February to return to a private law partnership. In an interview, Ogden pointed to accomplishments during his tenure, including initiatives to attack health-care fraud and violence on the Southwest border, but he also cited the strain of running a 24-hour operation with more than 100,000 employees.