WaPo: Justice Job Considered For Ousted Prosecutor

[babylonsister]

But wouldn't Congress now have to confirm him?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/19/AR2007031901726.html?nav=rss_politics

Justice Job Considered For Ousted Prosecutor

By Paul Kane
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 20, 2007; Page A04

With the Senate poised to rein in the attorney general's powers to appoint federal prosecutors, the Justice Department is engaged in discussions aimed at giving a new job to one of the seven U.S. attorneys dismissed without explanation on Dec. 7, according to a Capitol Hill Republican.

Under fierce pressure from a Senate Republican, Justice Department officials are considering a new position for Daniel Bogden, the ousted U.S. attorney from Nevada who, agency officials explained to Congress, was dismissed in an effort to get "new energy" into the job.

An aide to Sen. John Ensign said finding a new job for the fired prosecutor would be a key step in restoring his reputation, which the Nevada Republican has set as a benchmark for whether he will continue to support Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales remaining in office.

"The talks are between the Justice Department and Daniel Bogden," said Tory Mazzola, Ensign's spokesman.

Bogden did not return a call seeking comment yesterday, and Justice officials declined to comment.

Ensign's fight on behalf of Bogden is emblematic of the way many senators, Republicans and Democrats alike, have come to view the prosecutor controversy: as an assault on their privileges, which traditionally allow them great leeway in choosing federal prosecutors and judges from their states.

more...

[robinlynne]

1. sounds like paying their way out of this... In reading the documents from yesterday,

they are getting a job for one of the prosecutors BECAUSE she stayed quiet and wouldn't talk to the press.

[Fresh_Start]

2. Obvious question - what happened to the performance issues

which led to him being dismissed to begin with?

[babylonsister]

3. Performance had nothing to do with it, per this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3172161

[Fresh_Start]

4. I understand but wouldn't there placing him in another

position undermine their own argument about performance issues?

[babylonsister]

5. They hadn't looked into performance issues, per that thread. nt