Who Should Be the Next Attorney General?
Yeah, we know: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales remains in office.* But his days are looking numbered. He’s received the kiss of death — a presidential expression of “confidence” — and even some Republicans are calling for his resignation.
So we have to ask:
If Alberto Gonzales steps (or gets pushed) aside, who should take his place as Attorney General?
We’re rooting for Shanetta Cutlar. But if she doesn’t get tapped, Andrew Cohen floats this interesting idea.
Right now, Patrick Fitzgerald is most well-known for his (successful) work on the Scooter Libby case. This may preclude his selection as AG, given the political hot potato that it turned into — and the embarrassment it caused for the Bush Administration.
But let’s not forget that, setting aside the Libby case, Fitzgerald has the background that one would normally seek in an Attorney General. He’s the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago), one of the nation’s most prestigious prosecutor’s offices, and he has some serious additional credentials.
After graduating from one of our nation’s finest high schools (shameless plug for our alma mater), Pat Fitzgerald went on to Amherst College and Harvard Law School. Before taking over as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District, he was a line prosecutor in the legendary Southern District of New York. As an AUSA in the SDNY, he worked on some major prosecutions, including the trials of Omar Abdel Rahman and Ramzi Yousef. He has been praised for his work as U.S. Attorney in Chicago.
Thoughts? Nominating Fitzgerald as AG might be kinda crazy, but kinda brilliant. It would change the story line big time, in a way that the White House might welcome.
(Some other random names we’ve heard as possible AG candidates: former Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey; SEC Chairman Christopher Cox; and Judge Laurence H. Silberman, of the D.C. Circuit.)
* It’s a rainy Friday afternoon, not much is going on, and people aren’t paying attention to the news. If you’d like to step down, Mr. Attorney General, there are still several hours of prime resignation time available to you.
The Case for Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald [Washington Post / Bench Conference]
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Comments
If Gonzo steps down, Bush will appoint someone who will appease the conservative base, definitely not a consensus or bipartisan choice.
Silberman might appease the base. But with the Senate in Democratic hands, can Bush get away with such a conservative pick?
Easy. Nelson and Pryor will vote for a conservative AG, as will Lieberman. Some other Dems in conservative states may swing over, as long as the pick isn't like a John Woo or Kmiec
What about Larry Thompson, former DAG, now GC at Pepsi?
4:37 - it's not that easy. the dems are feeling their oats right now. they might filibuster a hard right-wing ag nominee.
The Bush administration is seriously lacking prestige. The simple, prestigious, tux-clad solution: Edward Gallion for AG!
Maybe David Leitch? A solid conservative, but not incendiary:
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=20539
Reliable info that Chuck Rosenberg, current U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is set to become Gonzo's new Chief of Staff, i.e. new Kyle Sampson. This would seem to indicate that Gonzo will be there for a while if they are filling his COS position with such a heavyweight.
John Woo for AG??? The confirmation hearings would be the best shit on C-SPAN since the good old days of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas (Woo's old boos).
I would be very surprised if Gonzo doesn't resign soon. Sens. Smith and Sununu and crazy-Rohrabacher are all making a stink. Collins, Snowe, Hagel and others will soon follow, I'd imagine.
4:46 has it exactly right. I'd pay to see the highly prestigious, eminently pedigreed Gallion & Spielvogel barristers mugging for CSPAN during a confirmation hearing.
Lat, can you get a call in asking them for comment on this rumor?
I nominate Spielvogel. He certainly has the credentials.
Fitzgerald would be a brilliant pick, which is why it will never happen.
4:53, it's John Yoo, not John Woo.
John Woo would be awesome, though.
http://imdb.com/name/nm0000247/
Haha, I knew that. I blame my mistake on 4:37 (supra).
That said, I really liked "Face/Off."
I say, both Messrs and Esquires and Barristers Gallion and Spielvogel are eminently qualified for the position of AG USA.
little do any of you know of John Woo's extensive conservative legal credentials. after slumming as a producer/director in hong kong for a few years, he went to HLS and then clerked for silberman. he then worked as roundhouse kick/policy counsel for tom coburn, followed by a stint as an adjunct/ken starr's security guard at pepperdine law, followed by face/off, followed by a brief tenure at the OLC, followed by roundhouse kicking robert byrd after a particularly contentious appropriations committee meeting. they settled.
I don't know. I'm a little concerned that if Bush goes to Chicago and tabs Pat Fitzgerald as the next Attorney General, we will somehow end up with the football coach from Northwestern running the DOJ.
nice shout out for Deo et Patriae
Harriet Miers? She's a winner.
AG Gallion: "Prestigious ladies and gentlemen of the domestic and international legal community, it is my duty, as the most prominent attorney on the face of the earth (all due respect to my esteemed and debonair colleague, Mr. Spielvogel, Esq.), to enforce the laws of the United States, as well as serve as honorary doyen of the global legal community. To those aforementioned ends, it is my pleasure to announce several changes in the structure of the Department of Justice:
(1) The office of Attorney General will henceforth be rebranded Barrister General, to reflect the prestige of the office (it also offers a nice juxtaposition vis-Ã -vis the office of Solicitor General).
(2) The Department of Justice will henceforth be rebranded Department of Prestige, Prominence & Justice, as to better convey to the hoi polloi the true scope of the department’s aims and perogative.
(3) Evening attire will be mandatory for all DOJ (henceforth DOPPJ) staff.
Nancy Grace
Is there any hope for a lowly 5th-tier graduate who is not otherwise worthy to wipe the sweat from Mr. Spielvogel's balls to become AG?
I would bet my entire fortune (which, admittedly, is rather limited) that Fitzgerald will not get picked. Unthinkable.
Oh come on, we all know he'll appoint some unknown crony from Texas. Look to the Texas Supreme Court or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for the nominee pool.
Hey, what about the love for Shanetta Cutlar? She micromanages with an iron hammer. Nothing would get past her and her subordinates will listen!
Mary Jo White. Bipartisan, fearless, incredible credentials. Discuss.
i nominate Lat!
There's no way in hell Mary Jo White would give up the millions she's assuredly making as a partner at D&P to take over the mess of the DOJ. Whoever the nominee is, it HAS to placate the social conservatives and defend Bush's response of executive power. My guess is they may go with an elderly Senator-type (Orrin Hatch?) from a state with a Republican governor.
The pick will be an old, well-known, establishment conservative. An insider who has the confidence of people on the Hill. Someone akin to Fred Fielding. You can bet on it.
11.25am--dunno, hubby is/was partner at CS&M; she was on the board of Nasdaq. Surely these guys have enough stashed away already. She'll also rub shoulders with all her chums/other political appointees from the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) of which she's a member.
Moreover, two years making, what $190K, as AG gets more than made up for on the backend, whatever your current salary
People like FFF and MJW serve because they are asked and think they can do some good. Pure patriotism -- money is not the relevant consideration at that level. IMHO.
Who's the most popular person in the Republican party at the moment?
I nominate Fred Thompson for AG. Brilliant lawyer, strong figure, good relations with Senators for confirmation. He can give up this silly notion of being the next President, clean up DOJ, and be a solid candidate for VP next year.
J. MICHAEL LUTTIG. Case closed.
Or Maureen Mahoney.
Or Larry Thompson.
Or Miguel Estrada.
Or Laurence Silberman.
Or Robert Bork.
Chris Cox would be a solid pick. No way to Comey. He passed the buck with the Plame investigation initially, and look at the mess it created....
Patrick Fitzgerald is an honorable guy. As was Comey. (See what happened to him. Let's just say it was an early Carol Lam.) So that's precisely why he won't get the nod.
The sooner we are rid of Torqueberto Gonzales the better. The man has no feel for justice, only petty politics. The WaPo.com series should be distributed to the entire White House staff.
Bill Barr.