Mercer named in House testimony

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Source: Billings Gazette

Mercer named in House testimony
By NOELLE STRAUB
Gazette Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Montana U.S. Attorney William Mercer, who has come under fire for spending too little time in the state, had raised concerns about since-fired New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias spending too little time in his office, a former Justice Department official testified.

But a Justice Department spokesman said Mercer did know now how much time his fellow prosecutor spent in the office and did not comment on the matter.

Monica Goodling, the former Justice Department liaison to the White House, testified about Mercer's comments during a House Judiciary Committee hearing this week. Mercer, who also serves as the No. 3 Justice official, spends most of his time in Washington.

Goodling said Mercer had raised an objection about his fellow prosecutors to Kyle Sampson, the former chief of staff to Alberto Gonzales who compiled the lists of U.S. attorneys to be fired.

Read more: http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/25/news/state/30-mercer.txt