U.S. Justice Department
New Law Puts Pressure on DOJ Hiring
Posted Jun 18, 2007, 10:06 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
The Justice Department will have to scramble to fill the jobs of almost two dozen U.S. attorneys and five senior DOJ officials.
The pressure is on, due to a law signed last week by President Bush overturning the attorney general’s authority to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for indefinite periods, the Washington Post reports.
Now the attorney general has to fill U.S. attorney vacancies by Senate confirmation within 120 days. If he fails to meet the deadline, local federal courts will make the decision.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., told the Post the vacancy problem is "further proof that dysfunctional leadership and low morale are hobbling the mission of the Justice Department."