The Obameter

Ogden's career includes a long record of arguing against child porn laws and in favor of racial preferences and virtually unlimited abortion on behalf of clients including Penthouse, the ACLU and Playboy.

For instance, he once filed a brief on behalf of a group of library directors arguing against the Children's Internet Protection Act. The act ordered libraries and schools receiving funding for the Internet to restrict access to obscene sites. But Ogden's brief argued that the act impaired the ability of librarians to do their jobs. He called it "unconstitutional," though the Supreme Court later disagreed with him and upheld the act. 

And he argued, on behalf of several media groups, against a child pornography law that required publishers of all kinds to verify and document the age of their models (which would ensure the models are at least 18). The provisions were struck down. 

Hatch noted that he usually defers to a president's nominees, including Attorney General Eric Holder Jr., whom he supported even before Holder's nomination was announced. But, calling Ogden's nomination a "close call," he said he was troubled by Ogden's representation of the pornography industry and other controversial clients in private practice.

"Mr. Ogden has consistently taken very liberal positions over a long period of time on issues that are very important to me," Hatch said.

Acknowledging that his objection is an exception to the general distinction between a lawyer's personal views and those of his clients, Hatch added, "The pattern here is so consistent and the record is so long that it does give me pause."