Politics - AttorneyGate: The Story Writes Itself

Unbelievable. The Washington Post reports that The Abu G Show, known to the hoi polloi by the familiar, catchy nick of "The Justice Department," is having trouble filling positions. What, Monica Goodling's alma mater, Regent U., is not sending them candidates? Apparently, no one's lining up to fill these plum positions. I don't suppose Abu G's recent pronouncements are helping any.

I'd introduce this quote with a "to wit," but wit appears to be in short supply in The Failed Administration of Commander von Bunnypants.

The developments add to growing personnel problems at the Justice Department in the wake of last year's firings of nine U.S. attorneys, which led to a political confrontation with Congress, lowered morale and contributed to an exodus of officials from the upper ranks of the department.

A quarter of all federal prosecutors are now on the job on an interim or acting basis -- reflecting a vacancy rate that is much higher than normal, according to department statistics. Five senior Justice Department officials have also resigned since March, including one who announced his departure Friday.

"There are certainly a lot of vacancies, even for the end of an administration," said Dennis Boyd, executive director of the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys. "For some turnover to be occurring is not that big of a surprise, but the department has handled . . . [the prosecutor firings] so poorly that you're left with an unusual situation."

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