Hampton Yeats Dellinger (born April 30, 1967)[1] is an American attorney and political candidate who is serving as Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. He previously served as the United States Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy and was a partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner[2] and Robinson, Bradshaw, and Hinson.

Hampton Dellinger
Special Counsel of the United States
Assumed office
March 6, 2024
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byHenry Kerner
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy
In office
November 1, 2021 – June 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byBeth Ann Williams
Succeeded bySusan Davies (acting)
Personal details
Born
Hampton Yeats Dellinger

(1967-04-30) April 30, 1967 (age 57)
Oxford, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Jolynn Childers
(m. 1994)
RelationsWalter Dellinger (father)
EducationUniversity of Michigan (BA)
Yale University (JD)

Education

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Dellinger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.[3]

Career

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Dellinger clerked for Judge James Dickson Phillips Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.[3]

From January 2001 to June 2003, he served as legal counsel for North Carolina Governor Mike Easley. From July 2001 to June 2003, he also served as a member of the governor's advisory council on Hispanic/Latino affairs. From July 2003 to January 2008, he was a partner with the firm Womble Carlyle.[4]

From 2008 to 2013, Dellinger was a lawyer in the office of Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson[4] and a candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of North Carolina. In his first run for elective office, he lost the Democratic primary on May 6, 2008 to Walter H. Dalton.[5] From 2013 to 2020, he was a partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.[4] He practiced as a solo practitioner from 2020 to 2021.

In 2009, Senator Kay Hagan recommended Dellinger and two other lawyers to President Barack Obama for consideration as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Obama eventually nominated attorney Thomas G. Walker instead.[6]

On June 18, 2021, he was nominated by the President to serve as the United States Department of Justice's Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy.[7] On July 28, 2021, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8] On September 23, 2021, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–8–1 vote.[9] On October 27, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 51–45 vote.[10] On October 28, 2021, Dellinger was confirmed by a 53–37 vote.[11] He was sworn in on November 1, 2021.[12]

On October 3, 2023, Dellinger was nominated to be the next Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.[13] On November 30, 2023, a hearing on his nomination was held before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.[14] On January 17, 2024, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 7–1 vote.[15] On February 27, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 51–46 vote.[16] He was confirmed later that day by a 49–47 vote.[17][18] He was sworn in on March 6, 2024.[19]

Personal life

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Dellinger is the son of the law professor and former acting Solicitor General of the United States, Walter E. Dellinger III.[4] He married Jolynn Childers on September 10, 1994.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Hampton Dellinger". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Baxter, Brian (December 22, 2014). "In Partner Promotions, Boies Schiller Sees Its Future". The American Lawyer. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "President Biden Announces Five Key Nominations". The White House. June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Questionnaire for Non-Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "Pittenger, Dalton will compete for lieutenant governor". Winston-Salem Journal. May 7, 2008. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "President Obama Nominates Four U.S Attorneys". whitehouse.gov. November 30, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  7. ^ "President Biden Announces Five Key Nominations". The White House (Press release). June 18, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "Nominations". judiciary.senate.gov. July 28, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – September 23, 2021" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Hampton Y. Dellinger to be an Assistant Attorney General)".
  11. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Hampton Y. Dellinger, of North Carolina, to be an Assistant Attorney General)".
  12. ^ "Meet the Assistant Attorney General". www.justice.gov. December 14, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "President Biden Announces Hampton Dellinger as Nominee for Special Counsel, Office of the Special Counsel" (Press release). The White House. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  14. ^ "Nominations". hsgac.senate.gov. November 30, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  15. ^ "Memo" (PDF). hsgac.senate.gov. January 17, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  16. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Hampton Y. Dellinger to be Special Counsel, Office of Special Counsel)". United States Senate. February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  17. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Hampton Y. Dellinger, of North Carolina, to be Special Counsel, Office of Special Counsel)". United States Senate. February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "New Lead Confirmed For Watchdog Office For Fed. Employees". www.law360.com. February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "Hampton Dellinger Sworn In as Special Counsel of OSC". United States Office of Special Counsel. March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "WEDDINGS; Jolynn Childers, H. Y. Dellinger". The New York Times. September 11, 1994. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
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