More funny business with U.S. Attorneys?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

So maybe Minnesota also just got stuck with another Gonzo/Rove tool. Seems our previous USA resigned (on his own accord, evidently), and was replaced with a Federalist Society acolyte who had been an aide to Gonzo. And the weird thing was that the outgoing USA wasn't even invited to the new one's swearing-in ceremony, in a very unusual breach of protocol. And now he's wondering whether he would have been fired if he hadn't resigned already.

Check it out: http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1092041.html

[Zan_of_Texas]

1. Good one. Also check out:

Prosecutor Posts Go To Bush Insiders
Less Preference Shown for Locals, Senators' Choices

By Amy Goldstein and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, April 1, 2007; Page A01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/31/AR2007033101158.html?nav=rss_politics

About one-third of the nearly four dozen U.S. attorney's jobs that have changed hands since President Bush began his second term have been filled by the White House and the Justice Department with trusted administration insiders.

The people chosen as chief federal prosecutors on a temporary or permanent basis since early 2005 include 10 senior aides to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, according to an analysis of government records. Several came from the White House or other government agencies. Some lacked experience as prosecutors or had no connection to the districts in which they were sent to work, the records and biographical information show.

The new U.S. attorneys filled vacancies created through natural turnover in addition to the firings of eight prosecutors last year that have prompted a political uproar and congressional investigations.
No other administration in contemporary times has had such a clear pattern of filling chief prosecutors' jobs with its own staff members, said experts on U.S. attorney's offices. Those experts said the emphasis in appointments traditionally has been on local roots and deference to home-state senators, whose support has been crucial to win confirmation of the nominees. ...

Three of the closest advisers to former attorney general John D. Ashcroft also have become U.S. attorneys in the past two years. ...