The question North Carolina Democrats whisper in the halls is: when are the Republican U.S. attorneys going to be replaced?
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan says the answer is pretty soon, Rob Christensen reports.
Hagan, the Democrat freshman, said she hopes to recommend three new U.S. attorneys for North Carolina in the coming months.
"I would like to get some names fairly soon and make some recommendations," Hagan said in an interview. "I would certainly think by spring or early summer we could have nominees. The timing has a lot do with the president."
She has appointed a panel, headed by former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Burley Mitchell to advise her on potential nominees for both federal prosecutors and federal judgeships. Hagan said the group held its first meeting Tuesday.
More after the jump.
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The way the system works is that U.S. senators — if they belong to the same party as the president — recommend home-state federal prosecutors and federal judges to the White House. The president then nominates and then the Senate decides to confirm.
The federal prosecutors appointed by former President Bush have put a number of Tar Heel Democrats in prison on corruption-related charges including former House Speaker Jim Black, former Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps, former Congressman Frank Ballance, and former state Rep. Thomas Wright.
More recently, a federal grand jury has apparently been looking into the campaign finances of former presidential candidate John Edwards.
Hagan said she decided to set up a judicial advisory panel as the suggestion of Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who had created her own advisory group. Other states such as California and Wisconsin have similar panels.
"I thought ... if I can get four to five minds to pour over the letters and recommendations it would be good for the state," Hagan said.
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Re: Hagan: New USAs in a few months
The Obama administration is so preoccupied with the economy, health cares, and climate change, and don't forget the lingering Gonzales issue, that they probably will not touch the issue of firing prosecutors for sometime. Also, if Holding issues a strong indictment against Easley, a firing would really be controversial. Hagan is very much acting the part of a freshman Senator who is getting on-the-job training. I'll bet that she can't get the White House to return her phones calls either!