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Another Top DOJ Official Resigns

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Fri Jun 22, 2007 at 07:41:06 PM EST
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William Mercer, the U.S. Attorney for Montana, who also has been serving as the Number Three top official at DOJ has withdrawn his nomination for permanent appointment.

Mercer's confirmation hearing was set for next week. His resignation letter says he has become convinced he would not be confirmed.

He will stay on as U.S. Attorney for Montana. Mercer has been heavily criticized for neglecting his U.S. Attorney duties while serving in the higher national DOJ slot.

Among his "contributions:"

Mercer had language inserted into the reauthorized USA Patriot Act in late 2005 that made it easier for him and other U.S. attorneys to serve as acting officials in Washington while holding their prosecutor jobs.

As for how little time he spent working in Montana,

According to testimony, Mercer spent an average of just three days a month as U.S. attorney in Billings. His frequent absence had prompted Montana's chief federal judge to ask Gonzales to replace him; the attorney general refused.

Think Progress has more.

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    Another Top DOJ Official Resigns | 3 comments (3 topical)

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    The Deeper Plot (none / 0) (#1)
    by GDAEman on Fri Jun 22, 2007 at 11:03:01 PM EST
    Hmm... Mercer is surely a political operative. Gotta keep him from becoming a federal judge.

    Speaking of political operatives becoming judges, that's part of The Deeper Plot being exposed by the attorney firing scandal.

    moving to montana................ (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 02:49:13 AM EST
    gonna raise me a crop of dental floss!

    if you think about it, given the population of montana (500 people, 500,000 scared sheep), three days a month is probably more than sufficient, by oh, i don't know, 2.5 days maybe.

    marcy/empty wheel (none / 0) (#3)
    by profmarcus on Sat Jun 23, 2007 at 11:48:23 AM EST
    over at the next hurrah has a persuasive theory about why mercer dropped out but was retained as the u.s. attorney in montana... (hint: it wasn't to avoid a contentious confirmation hearing...)

    And, yes, I DO take it personally

    Another Top DOJ Official Resigns | 3 comments (3 topical)

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