What better way to demonstrate a change from the bad old days of the politicized Justice Department than to appoint as US attorney one of the people who was fired from that job as part of the Bushies' purge?
The White House has announced that Daniel Bogden, who in late 2006 was fired by the Bush administration as U.S. attorney for the district of Nevada, has been re-nominated for that position.
"I'm extremely honored that President Obama has nominated me," Bogden told TPMmuckraker in a brief phone interview. "I appreciate the opportunity and I'm looking forward to my return to public service. and I certainly appreciate Senate Majority Leader Reid's recommending me for the position."
Here's what we reported last fall about what an internal DOJ investigation found on the circumstances of Bogden's firing:
In the case of Daniel Bogden of Nevada, little was known about his removal, except that he had not been diligent in prosecution of obscenity cases. The report found the claim to be behind Bogden's removal, but added some color to the removal. Interestingly, the report found that the complaints of Bodgen's dalliance in obscenity prosecutions were made by Brent Ward, the head of the DOJ Obscenity Prosecution Task Force -- who was friends with Attorney General Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson's brother and had direct conversations with Sampson regularly.When questioned by the DOJ, Sampson stated he "did not recall whether those complaints played a role in the decision to remove Bogden," a response the report found "particularly suspect, given his role in the removal process."


Alguien
July 31, 2009 5:31 PM
Could Senator Ensign's little fling with his assistant's wife be considered "obscenity"?
This could be Bogden's chance for revenge!
Prosecute Ensign for "immoral behavior" just to prove that he could, in fact, be diligent regarding obscenity matters.
After all, Ensign is a bible-thumping Promise Keeper who very conveniently forgets some of the Ten Commandments!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Debra
August 1, 2009 1:45 PM in reply to Alguien
Ensign was in fact critical of the Bush administration for firing Bogden as U.S. Attorney, and will be a help in getting Bogden approved by the Senate for reinstatement.
I don't like Ensign, but he did actually fight for Bogden's reputation.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
GTFOOH
July 31, 2009 5:32 PM
Nice thumb in Rove's eye. But, I still would like to see Obama appoint Dems and quit reaching out to the other side so much.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
threesmommy
July 31, 2009 5:50 PM
NPR reported this week that Obama has appointed ZERO judges and USatty's. So how come his first USatty appointment is a Bushie? Even if not a completely "Loyal Bushie", still, what gives?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
chimpale
July 31, 2009 10:31 PM in reply to threesmommy
Maybe it's because he's a good prosecutor. Not a good Republican prosecutor or a good Democratic prosecutor. Just a good prosecutor.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
serge
July 31, 2009 5:51 PM
It would be nice to David Iglesias back in his old position. I believe he came fully over from the dark side.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
markg8
July 31, 2009 6:03 PM
He didn't diligently prosecute obscenity cases in Nevada? Seriously? Jesus, why not just say he didn't crack down on gambling there too? Without obscenity and gambling Nevada would be as popular as Iraq as a tourist destination.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
SavannahGA
July 31, 2009 6:17 PM
Dan Bogden's one of the good guys; it's wonderful to have him re-appointed as USA.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Confound Them All
July 31, 2009 8:55 PM
"Department of Justice Obscenity Prosecution Task Force"... my god, all the crap going on in this country and we're staffing an office with people concerned about folks watching porn?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
pokerbum
July 31, 2009 11:20 PM
It would be nice to have David Iglesias back as Attorney General. Competent good guys from both parties should be given all the advancement they handle.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JimmyBobby
July 31, 2009 11:38 PM
Government officials should have to take a memory test before being appointed, with occasional retests to ensure their mental fitness for the job -- and also to eliminate (or at least seriously undercut) the "I don't recall" defense.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
markkernes
August 1, 2009 2:28 PM
The Justice Department Inspector General's report makes it clear that Bogden was fired on the recommendation of Brent Ward, himself a former US Attorney from Utah and now head of the Justice Department's Obscenity Prosecution Task Force, because Bodgen, according to Ward, refused to prosecute "the good cases we gave him." In fact, Ward's "good cases" were crap -- not surprising since Ward is an anti-porn zealot -- and Bogden knew it. In other words, Bogden was fired for doing his job properly-- also not too surprising.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
B Jeany
August 1, 2009 3:33 PM
What better way?
How about dumping the dregs from the former administration, starting with Leura Canary?
Nice gesture to re-hire one of the fired ones, but I'd be a lot more impressed if they took a fire hose and a skid of disinfectant to Alabama.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
gharlane
August 2, 2009 1:51 AM
I can think of one.
Drop the Don Siegelman prosecution and investigate (and prosecute) the prosecutors who trumped up the charges against him. And investigate the election "irregularities" that mysteriously flipped the election against him in the dead of night.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?