Imagine Blawgletter’s surprise when we read this morning that a new front-runner for U.S. Attorney General has emerged — and that he stands a good chance of quick confirmation.
The Washington Post names former federal judge Michael B. Mukasey as "the leading candidate". The WSJ includes an Associated Press report that conservatives "believe [Mr. Mukasey] has ascended to the top of Mr. Bush’s list of replacements for Alberto Gonzales." The NYT describes Mr. Mukasey as "a contender". And William Kristol at Weekly Standard says that Mr. Mukasey "is the leading candidate" for the AG spot.
Mr. Mukasey graduated from Columbia and Yale Law School. He worked as a federal prosecutor and then as a partner in the New York office of Patterson Belknap before taking the district court bench in 1988. His tenure included eight years as Chief Judge in the Southern District of New York. He handled high-profile terrorism cases as well as the trial over insurance coverage for destruction of the World Trade Center. And he has the support of New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, who suggested Mr. Mukasey as a potential Supreme Court nominee.
Barry Barnett
