POP GO THE WEASELS!
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20091206_16_A17_WASHIN220469Prosecutor lacks support
Sources say it's unlikely Susan Stidham Brandon will be nominated as Tulsa's top federal prosecutor.
By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 12/6/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 12/6/2009 4:15 AM
WASHINGTON - Veteran Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Stidham Brandon was recommended months ago to the White House as the next top federal prosecutor in Tulsa, but that effort has stalled, the Tulsa World has learned.
Several sources who asked not to be identified said Brandon does not have the support necessary for confirmation from Oklahoma's two U.S. senators.
They do not expect her to be nominated for the state's Northern District U.S. attorney post.
Barring a major shift in that apparent stalemate, that means the Obama administration will enter its second year without a viable nominee for two of the three U.S. attorney positions in Oklahoma.
Sanford (Sandy) Coats, who was recommended for the U.S. attorney post in Oklahoma City, is the only one to be nominated formally by the White House.
In October, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Wallace, who was expected to be named to the top post in Muskogee, asked that his name be withdrawn after the White House unexpectedly and abruptly ended the vetting process on his potential nomination.
At least some think it may be time for similar action in the Brandon situation.
"The longer she waits, the longer the delay,'' said one source.
Brandon did not return a call seeking comment.
Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, who played a leading role in recommending Brandon to the White House, and Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn declined to comment.
Coburn serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which handles nominations for U.S. attorney posts.
Traditionally, a nomination does not move without support of home-state senators, and Coburn's position on the key panel would give him even more influence.
Coburn's reported opposition to Brandon is not clear to some since she was named an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee in 1993.
One source said Brandon did not have enough actual courtroom experience to satisfy Coburn.
As the state's senior senator, Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe spearheaded efforts to fill presidential appointments in Oklahoma under then-President George W. Bush.
Inhofe spokesman Jared Young noted a difference in the way the Brandon recommendation was handled.
"Historically the delegation has moved in unison on judicial nominations,'' Young said. "That's just not the case this time.''
U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, who also played a key role in recommending potential federal nominees to the Obama White House as the only Oklahoma Democrat in Congress, said the process was constructive.
"I have a very good working relationship with both U.S. senators as well as the governor,'' Boren said.
He declined to comment further.
Boren and Henry broke with the practice followed in the past by others when they declined to release to the public the names they were recommending to the White House for the U.S. attorney posts and other federal positions in the state.
Brandon's and Wallace's paths certainly do not track with the timetable U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder sought in March when he urged quick action on filling U.S. attorney positions across the country.
"We want to try to get those names to the Justice Department as quickly as possible so we can make determinations as quickly as we can,'' Holder said. "It takes quite a bit of time to get people through, so our hope is to get people in place as quickly as we can.''
The White House declined to comment on Brandon. "
Grand Obstructionist Pricks
When Coburn starts campaigning for another term, remember he failed to protect and to serve the people.
