It is official now — Nat Hentoff has joined the Cato Institute as a senior fellow.

I spoke with him on the phone a few days ago and said I was looking forward to working with him — to which he replied “we’ve already been working together for years on civil liberties issues.” True that. He said Cato was a natural fit for him because we both take principled positions in defense of the Constitution and liberty. 

Nat Hentoff has authored many books and hundreds of articles, but here’s a quick sampling of his writings: Criticizing President Bush’s attack on habeas corpus; defending Bush’s judicial nominee, Janice Rogers Brown; defending free speech on campus; criticizing the Clinton administration’s handling of the Elian Gonzales matter.

Nat Hentoff wrote a regular column in the Village Voice for 50 years until last December. His farewell column at the Voice is here. Good stuff. Cato will be stronger with Nat Hentoff’s passion for liberty and justice.

For more Cato Institute work on civil liberties, go here.