Johnson to GSA by Friday?

Martha Johnson, whose confirmation to head the General Services Administration has been held up for months by Senate Republicans, may be at work as early as Friday, say sources knowledgeable about the process. The Senate is expected to vote to close debate and move on her confirmation via unanimous consent.

The confirmation of Johnson has grown increasingly heated, with President Obama jumping into the debate on Wednesday. According to Federal Times, the president, appearing at the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Issues Conference, said:

Nobody can tell me that there's anything particularly wrong with her. They're blocking her because of some unrelated matter. Don't hold this, this woman hostage.

The delay, since April 2009, was the possibly the cause behind resignaitons of at least two top execs at GSA. From Government Executive in January:

Danielle Germain, named GSA's chief of staff in June, stepped down, citing the lengthy delay in Johnson's nomination. Meanwhile, Barnaby Brasseux, who served as GSA's deputy administrator since September 2008, retired in early January.