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Thursday, February 8, 2007

The Right’s Tough

posted by on February 8 at 16:05 PM

Washington State’s top federal prosecutor, John McKay, was terminated along with six other federal prosecutors for “performance-related issues,” according to a statement made Tuesday by a Justice Department official. Another statement claimed they were making room for up-and-coming Republicans. McKay was appointed just after 9/11 – when conservatives felt confident they could derive power by strong-arming the American psyche – but he was given his pink slip shortly after the Blue Wave of November 2006. Hmm…

McKay supported the Patriot Act and appeared to march in lockstep with Republicans, but his career hasn’t always reflected the draconian policies his book’s cover suggests. A few pages in, McKay’s résumé reveals service in the Clinton Administration, and he is oft credited with almost single-handedly preserving legal services for indigent persons. During his local tenure, McKay focused on terrorists and murderers, and he was reticent to federally prosecute medical marijuana defendants or other cases brought to set examples of federal dominance over (progressive) states.

Was McKay not tough enough for the conservative right? If that was the “performance-related issue,” then who will replace him? As a last-gasp attempt to maintain a grip on domestic issues, the Bush Administration will probably appoint a crony prosecutor willing to impose federal control through the court of law, since they have clearly lost the jury’s ear in the court of public opinion.

RSS icon Comments

1

Too bad, but on the flip-side, whomever they appoint will have, at best, only a couple of years themselves before they get booted by the next Democratic President.

Posted by COMTE | February 8, 2007 4:00 PM
2

he questioned the God Emperor.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 8, 2007 5:46 PM
3

Wait and see who gets appointed his successor. That will give you the clue.

Posted by Whacky | February 8, 2007 11:55 PM
4

If he has aspirations of running for office in Washington state nothing could help him more than being fired by George W. Bush.

Posted by George | February 9, 2007 11:47 AM

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