Cassandra Butts facts for kids

Cassandra Quin Butts (born August 10, 1965 – died May 25, 2016) was an American lawyer and expert in government policy. She worked for President Barack Obama and held important roles in his administration. She was known for her strong friendship with Obama, which began when they were classmates in law school.

In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama chose Butts to be his Deputy White House Counsel. In this role, she focused on national policies and making sure things were done ethically. She also helped Obama's team prepare for his presidency.

After a year, in November 2009, she left the White House Counsel's office. She then became a Senior Advisor at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Later, in 2014, President Obama nominated her to be the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas. However, her nomination faced opposition and was never approved by the Senate before she passed away.

Early Life and Education

Cassandra Butts was born on August 10, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York. When she was nine years old, her family moved to Durham, North Carolina.

She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After that, she went to Harvard Law School, graduating in 1991. While at Harvard, she became close friends with Barack Obama, who was also a student there.

Early Career and Public Service

Butts' first job was as a counselor at the YMCA in Durham. From 1991 to 1992, she worked with the National Health Law Program. This group helps low-income people get good healthcare.

She also spent a year as a researcher for the African News Service. Later, she worked as an election observer in Zimbabwe in 2000. She also served as a legal advisor to Senator Harris Wofford from Pennsylvania.

Butts worked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc. This organization fights for civil rights and equality. She also spent seven years as a senior adviser to US Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri. Before joining the White House, she was a Senior Vice President at the Center for American Progress. There, she focused on national policy issues.

Working at the White House

As Deputy White House Counsel, Cassandra Butts mainly focused on choosing judges. Records show she was often in contact with Sonia Sotomayor. Sotomayor was President Obama's choice to replace Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In November 2009, Butts left her role as Deputy White House Counsel. Her departure was a notable change in the White House Counsel's office at that time.

Millennium Challenge Corporation Role

After leaving the White House, Butts joined the Millennium Challenge Corporation. This organization is a U.S. foreign aid agency. It works with developing countries to reduce poverty through economic growth.

On November 6, 2009, President Obama appointed her as a senior advisor. She worked in the office of the Chief Executive Officer for the corporation.

Nomination for Ambassador to the Bahamas

On February 7, 2014, President Obama nominated Cassandra Butts to be the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country.

The Senate held a hearing on her nomination in May 2014. However, they did not vote on it that year. So, her nomination ended when that Congress finished its term.

Obama nominated her again on February 5, 2015, with the new Congress. The Senate committee approved her nomination in May 2015. However, some Republican senators blocked her nomination. One senator, Ted Cruz, initially blocked all State Department nominees due to a disagreement about the Iran nuclear deal.

After Cruz lifted his block, Senator Tom Cotton then blocked her nomination. He did this to protest an issue unrelated to Butts herself. He later lifted his blocks on other nominees but kept his block on Butts.

Butts told a reporter that Senator Cotton explained his reason. He said that because Obama and Butts were friends, blocking her nomination was a way to "inflict special pain on the president." A spokeswoman for Senator Cotton did not deny this account.

Cassandra Butts passed away on May 25, 2016, while still waiting for the Senate to vote on her nomination. President Obama formally withdrew her nomination on June 9, 2016.

Death

Cassandra Butts was found deceased in her Washington, D.C. home by her sister on May 25, 2016. Her family stated that she had been ill for a short time. It was later reported that she had acute leukemia.