Subscribe to WIRED Magazine Threat Level  Senate Confirms Former
RIAA Lawyer for Solicitor General  The Senate late Monday
confirmed former Recording Industry Association of America
lawyer Donald Verrilli serve as the nation’s solicitor general.
Verilli, the White House deputy counsel, assumes the powerful
position left vacant by Elena Kagan, who was elevated to the
Supreme Court last year. The vote was 72-16 after lawmakers
brokered a last-minute deal to avoid a threatened filibuster.
The solicitor general is charged with defending the government
before the Supreme Court, and files friend-of-the court briefs
in cases in which the government believes there is a significant
legal issue. The office also determines which cases it will
bring to the Supreme Court for review. Verrilli had told
senators that he would resign if Obama asked him to take a
position “based on partisan political considerations or other
illegitimate reasons.”  Verrilli, one of at least five former
RIAA attorneys appointed to the administ