Drum roll please: The new temporary AG

[cali]

is, according to JD sources: SG Paul Clement. Don't know much about him except that he clerked, I believe, for Scalia. In any case, it's safe to assume he's a winger.

http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml

[Coexist]

1. audio of the man at the link below:

http://www.callingallwingnuts.com/2007/04/11/420/

he also "worked hard on Bush v. Gore" and the Enron matter:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/4895207.html
"At Bush's direction, Solicitor General Clement declined to issue a friend of the court brief on behalf of the shareholders. The government still has the option of intervening on behalf of the defendants, as it did recently in another securities fraud case involving Tellabs."

[cali]

3. but is he a loyal bushie?

Sure sounds like it.

[Coexist]

6. sounds like he is loyal to his employer

So yes.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Technically, that would be Us

Loyal Bushies get confused over such trivial things like what they swear an oath to though.

[Coexist]

12. great point.

you are sadly correct.

[Philosoraptor]

2. Cymbal crash, tepid applause....crickets.

[DemReadingDU]

4. additional info at Forbes

The likely temporary replacement for Gonzales is Solicitor General Paul Clement, who would take over until a permanent replacement is found, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/27/ap4056074.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. From the little I've heard, he went the way of Dick Cheney

IOW, he used to be one of those Cons that had some sort of Bushstroke in their brains and pledged an oath to The President (vs. the Constitution). Seems like he was pretty chummy with Ken Starr, too, though I could be wrong about that.

[cali]

7. So why the fuck is Reid

apparently willing to let this happen? Allowing another highly partisan loyal bushie to be AG, is a lousy terrible no good idea.

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. Not sure there's anything Reid CAN do about it except contact

staff and tell them to get their asses on the hill tootsweet and call a proforma session.

I confess, I've been away from things since about the second week of August and am just now trying to get caught up. Thought this would be the week to do it...just before Congress comes back. Boy was I wrong!

[Enrique]

10. what role does Reid have?

[cali]

13. Reid can call

a pro forma session of the Senate thus cutting any attempt at a recess appt off at the knees. And he should do it- particulary as he has a deal with bush that bush won't make any recess appointments, and he sure the hell should know by now not to trust bush.

[onenote]

14. there can't be a recess appointment if there is no vacancy during the recess

Gonzo isn't leaving until after Congress is back. Reid doesn't have to do anything.

[Enrique]

15. but what role does Reid have in naming the interim AG?

which is unrelated to the recess appointment/confirmation process.

[onenote]

17. None. The process is governed by the federal vacancies reform act

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode05/usc_sec_05_00003345----000-.html

[MonkeyFunk]

20. There's no attempt here to use

a recess appointment.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. he'll be acting AG

the Senate can't do squat about that.

And they can't rightly oppose any nominee on the grounds that he's a Republican.

[KharmaTrain]

11. He's The Dude Sitting On The Contempt Charges

Clemment is supposedly "reviewing" the complaint filed against Rove, Meiers and others who refused to testify. He's had this case for several weeks and hasn't said if he'll investigate or not. The question has been if Clemment would pursue the charges, recuse himself or either stonewall or avoid pressing charges (my bets are on the later). This is a quick way for this regime to shut him down and up (if he was showing any signs of being "independent").

[Annces]

16. Interesting n/t

[On the Road]

18. At This Point,

all I want to know is if he intends to obey the constitution or whether he's another unprincipled crony.

[jazzjunkysue]

21. That's easy. He's a crony. Trust me.

The B* crime family knows no other way. They're going to try everything they can think of to try to cover up all their fascist moves. Count on it.