The measure governing the nomination of federal prosecutors tucked into the fat USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act is heading for a change, after a Senate committee passed a revision today.
The change will revert the law back to what it was before a member of Sen. Arlen Specter's (R-PA) staff, acting on behalf of the Justice Department, inserted a measure that effectively allowed the administration to appoint U.S. Attorneys in perpetuity without Senate confirmation. Three Republicans, including Sen. Specter, voted for the change.
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) tells the AP that he plans to "do everything I can" to bring the bill to the floor.
In addition to the law change, the Democrats continue to push the issue of the earlier purge.
Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty admitted in a hearing earlier this week that a U.S. Attorney in Arkansas was removed for no reason except to install a former aide to Karl Rove, Timothy Griffin. And today, Democratic leaders sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wanting to know more. You can read the letter in full here.
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