Chris Mintz, a Republican activist who switched to the Democratic Party to run for office, pleaded guilty this month to embezzling more than a million dollars from two elderly clients.

Mintz, a financial advisor, is a former chairman of the Wake County Republican Men's Club. He switched to the Democratic Party in 2005 and ran unsuccessfully in that party's primary for the N.C. House of Representatives in district 41 against Ty Harrell, who resigned Sunday. Mintz considered a run for state treasurer in 2007.

Mintz, 34, pleaded guilty to fraud by an investment adviser on Sept. 9. He moved securities from his clients' accounts to his own, selling the securities and wiring the money to his personal account, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 7 in U.S. District Court in New Bern.

Durham lawyer Hampton Dellinger has received endorsements from the N.C. Police Benevolent Association and a group of former federal prosecutors in his bid to be one of the new U.S. attorneys in North Carolina.

The police association dispatched a letter two weeks ago to President Barack Obama. Last month a group of 29 former prosecutors and former U.S. Justice Department lawyers sent their own endorsement to White House Counsel Gregory Craig. Dome obtained copies of the letters.

Dellinger, who was legal counsel to then-Gov. Mike Easley from 2001 to 2003 and a N.C. Justice Department lawyer before that, is one of three people whose names were submitted to the White House for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina by U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan. 

(Read the letters by clicking below.)

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is seeking some outside help on judicial appointments.

The Greensboro Democrat said that she will create a four-member panel from around the state to vet candidates for federal judgeships and the state's three U.S. attorneys.

"This committee will be comprised of experienced professionals from across the state and will help ensure that the most qualified and competent candidates are ultimately selected for recommendation," she said in a statement.

Spokesman Dave Hoffman said the committee will include one member each from the eastern, western and central regions of the state and a chairman from anywhere. He did not know who would serve on it yet.

Hagan is particularly concerned with finding a North Carolinian to serve on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, a post that has been held up in the past because of partisan differences between the state's senators.

According to the Legal Times, Hagan met with several possible nominees earlier this year.

A vetting process is not uncommon. The Virginia Bar interviewed potential nominees at the request of that state's two senators.

Another name has surfaced for U.S. attorney in the Middle District.

Former assistant U.S. attorney and Wake Forest University School of Law professor Jennifer Collins is reportedly under consideration for the federal prosecutor job in the district that includes Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Durham.

Former lieutenant governor candidate Hampton Dellinger is campaigning for the post as well. 

Four names have surfaced for U.S. attorney in Western North Carolina.

As reported in The Charlotte Observer, three former federal prosecutors and a state judge are interested in becoming the U.S. attorney for the Western District based in Charlotte:

Pete Anderson: A criminal defense attorney who has served as a prosecutor with the U.S. Justice Department in Washington and the U.S. attorney's office in Charlotte.

Anne Tompkins: A former state and federal prosecutor who worked on an eight-month special assignment in Iraq to help prosecute Saddam Hussein in 2004.

Thomas Walker: A former state and federal prosecutor who served as special counsel to Attorney General Roy Cooper and is now a partner at Alston & Bird. 

Dennis Winner: A former six-term state senator who is in his second stint as a state Superior Court judge in the Asheville area.

As previously noted, former Congressional candidate and assistant Wake County prosecutor Daniel Johnson of Hickory is also under consideration.

Sen. Kay Hagan will play a key role in the appointment. 

Dewey Hudson said he's honored to be considered for U.S. attorney.

The Onslow County district attorney said he has not spoken directly to Sen. Kay Hagan about a gig as a a federal prosecutor in the Raleigh-based Eastern District, but he knows his name is being discussed by other Democrats.

"It's an honor to be in the running," he told Dome. "It's a job that obviously carries a lot of responsibility."

Hudson has served as assistant district attorney for 21 years and district attorney for 10 years in District 4, which serves Onslow, Duplin, Jones and Sampson counties and includes the Camp Lejeune Marine base.

A native of Turkey, N.C., he earned his bachelor's degree at N.C. State and a law degree from Cumberland School of Law in Alabama. He said he was initially surprised to see his name mentioned for the post.

"It would be premature at this point for me to make any official statements," he said. "But I am interested in the position."

Superior Court Judge Ripley Rand is also reportedly being considered.

Update: Rand said he did not know much.

"All I have heard is that there are a number of names under consideration," he said. "I don't know whether mine is one of them or not." 

The unofficial campaigns for U.S. attorney are almost over.

Although U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and Attorney General nominee Eric Holder have not taken any official steps towards appointing the state's three federal prosecutors, the long list of candidates appears to have been culled a bit. 

Western District: Former Congressional candidate and assistant Wake County prosecutor Daniel Johnson of Hickory is reportedly the leading candidate in the district that is centered on Charlotte. The post is currently held by Gretchen C.F. Shappert. 

Middle District: Former lieutenant governor candidate Hampton Dellinger is reportedly the leading candidate for a gig as a federal prosecutor in the district that includes Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Durham. The post is currently held by Anna Mills Wagoner.

Eastern District: Superior Court Judge Ripley Rand (son of the state Senate majority leader) is reportedly competing with Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson for the district that is centered on Raleigh. The post is currently held by George E.B. Holding.

As noted previously, the Eastern District position is important in state investigations in corruption, Hagan says she'll consider resumes and references, and past U.S. attorneys have had a strong political patron.

Hampton Dellinger is lobbying to become a U.S. attorney.

As previously noted on Dome, the former candidate for lieutenant governor and legal counsel to Gov. Mike Easley is one of a number of names that has been put forward for federal prosecutor.

Over the weekend, The Durham Herald-Sun reported that Dellinger is lobbying to become U.S. attorney for either the Middle or Eastern districts of North Carolina:

Dellinger — the son of Duke University law professor emeritus and former acting U.S. Solicitor General Walter Dellinger — recently contacted Durham Mayor Bill Bell to ask Bell for help in securing the appointment.

"I've known the mayor and think highly of him and know he's highly regarded," Hampton Dellinger said on Friday. "I wanted to let him know of my interest and relevant experience."

Bell, an early supporter of Barack Obama's, said he didn't see any reason not to support Dellinger.

"I'm sure other people are going to be looking at it, too," he told the paper.

Dan Gearino thinks a USA Today ranking misses North Carolina's corruption.

The conservative blogger notes the newspaper's recent attempt to rank state corruption by comparing population with the number of corruption convictions won by federal prosecutors from 1998 to 2007.

With 179 convictions and a population of nine million, North Carolina came out in the bottom third.

North Carolina had 2 convictions per 100,000 people, a lower ratio than all but 16 other states. My problem is that we don't get credit for the quality of our political crooks. North Carolina's corruption is top-shelf stuff, and we’re not getting recognized for it.

He notes, for example, that disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black went to prison for accepting bribes in public bathrooms.

"By my reckoning, one House speaker selling out the integrity of the state in toilet stalls is worth ten small-town councilmen who get caught fixing traffic tickets or trading votes on zoning matters in return for Caribbean vacations," he writes.

Colon Willoughby says he's not interested in being a U.S. attorney.

The Wake County district attorney said "some folks" had approached him about a possible appointment as a federal prosecutor for the Raleigh-based Eastern District.

But he relayed to his staff Thursday that he would be staying put.

"At this point, I think I'm happy right where I am," he told Dome.

Willoughby, who was first elected district attorney in 1986, said he plans to run again next year.

As the prosecutor for the state capital, Willoughby has worked closely with federal prosecutors on corruption cases involving former Speaker Jim Black and Rep. Thomas Wright.

A Democrat, he had been mentioned by several people knowledgeable with the U.S. attorney's office as a potential appointment under President-elect Barack Obama.