Zachary Roth April 20, 2010, 10:08 AM

The corporate lawyer who acted as the Justice Department’s inside man at AIG is reportedly set to take the number two spot at DOJ.

James Cole, an attorney with Bryan Cave, was placed as a government monitor inside AIG — reporting back to DOJ and SEC — as part of a 2004 deferred prosecution agreement after AIG had been charged with helping a client, PNC Bank, avoid taxes. AIG also paid an $80 million fine as part of that deal.

Pro Publica reported yesterday that Cole, a longtime friend of Attorney General Eric Holder and a former top official at DOJ’s Public Integrity unit, will be nominated to be deputy attorney general. David Ogden, the previous deputy AG, left in February.

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