Al Franken is moving further to present his victory in the Minnesota Senate race as a settled matter, with his campaign announcing that he has hired Drew Littman, a former staffer for Barbara Boxer, to be his chief of staff in Washington.

"I'm honored and excited to join Senator-elect Franken in Washington," Littman said in the press release. "Over my long career, I have had the privilege to work with many elected officials and organizations who believed in the same vision Al Franken will work towards as a Senator. I know that Al Franken is ready to serve and that he will work hard on behalf of Minnesota's working families. And I can't wait to help him get started."

Franken's office announced another hire last week, for the position of state director.

Full press release after the jump.

FRANKEN ANNOUNCES CHIEF OF STAFF SELECTION

Veteran Advisor Drew Littman Agrees To Head Up Washington Office
____________________________________________________________

MINNEAPOLIS [4/29/09] - Senator-elect Al Franken today announced that Drew Littman, a longtime Capitol Hill veteran, has agreed to serve as his Washington-based chief of staff.

Littman, who has advised many Senators-elect, including Franken, on the transition process, was most recently the head of his own consulting practice, Littman Associates, and an adjunct professor at American University. He began his career on Capitol Hill twenty years ago as a policy aide for then-Rep. Barbara Boxer, and has since served as a subcommittee staff director and a Senate Policy Director.

Al Franken:

"With Drew leading our team, I know that my office will be able to uphold the Minnesota tradition of excellent and responsive constituent service. With his years of experience and his expertise in helping new Senators hit the ground running, Drew has become a trusted advisor and a valuable resource as I prepare to take office. I will continue to count on him as I work with Senators from both parties and the rest of our state's fantastic delegation to serve the people of Minnesota, make progress on President Obama's agenda, and move our country forward."

Drew Littman:

"I'm honored and excited to join Senator-elect Franken in Washington. Over my long career, I have had the privilege to work with many elected officials and organizations who believed in the same vision Al Franken will work towards as a Senator. I know that Al Franken is ready to serve and that he will work hard on behalf of Minnesota's working families. And I can't wait to help him get started."

ABOUT DREW LITTMAN

* Littman served as the head of Franken's informal transition team, having previously assisted over a half-dozen Democratic Senators-elect in their own transitions since 2000.

* Littman began his work on Capitol Hill as a policy aide for then-Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Cali.) in 1989. Since then, he has served as staff director for the House Subcommittee on Government Activities and Transportation, worked as Senator Boxer's Policy Director, and represented a variety of progressive clients (ranging from the Children's Defense Fund to the Reproductive Health Technologies Project to the Independent Film and Television Alliance) both at Podesta Associates and through his own consulting practice, Littman Associates.

* In 2005, Littman joined American University's Government Department as an Adjunct Professor, teaching an undergraduate course entitled "Political Power and American Public Policy"; he has also served as a guest lecturer and panelist on public policy issues and Capitol Hill folkways.