The Solicitor General is the third-ranking official in the United States Justice Department and the chief advocate of the Executive Branch before the United States Supreme Court. It is among the most prestigious and important positions in either law or government, and the occupant of the post is often informally called “the tenth Justice.” Justice Elena Kagan served as the Solicitor General at the time of her nomination to the Supreme Court by President Obama.
This week, the Senate approved Donald Verrilli Jr. to serve as our nation’s new Solicitor General, and it should be a matter of some local pride that Mr. Verilli was born right here in New Rochelle back in 1957.
Here’s where it gets a little unusual: this is not the first recent connection between New Rochelle and the Solicitor General post. Drew Days, who served as Solicitor General under President Clinton from 1993 to 1996, is a product of the New Rochelle public schools and a graduate of New Rochelle High School.
Just a happy coincidence, of course, but that shouldn’t stop us from bragging!