Attorney General
Two SG Lawyers Step Into Fray
Posted Aug 28, 2007, 08:15 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement’s appointment to serve as acting attorney general has resulted in a temporary promotion for his deputy Gregory Garre, who will fill Clement’s post on an acting basis.
SCOTUSblog cites the “real prospect” that the two Bush policy loyalists could get the jobs on a permanent basis. The blog says Clement has an advantage over his predecessor, Alberto Gonzales: Clement “is thoroughly accustomed to verbal combat, on important public stages, and is considerably more articulate than Gonzales has been.”
The blog says Garre will take the same positions as Clement did, continuing his office’s competent representation of government positions before the U.S. Supreme Court. It describes Garre as less animated than Clement but just as able.
Yesterday, reports surfaced that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was a front-runner for the job. However, Clement’s name is also being mentioned for the permanent post, CNBC reports.