Would Bogden recuse himself on Ensign?
August 18, 2009 - 9:04 am
In the "LGTS" (Lemme get this straight) folder comes this query:
Former U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden, who was first appointed, then purged, by the Bush Administration will shortly be reappointed by the Obama Administration. Bogden, both then and now, is enthusiastically supported by both U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (a Democrat) and U.S. Sen. John Ensign (a Republican).
But, in between his firing and rehiring, Sen. Ensign ran into a nasty little extra-marital affair (he poked on multiple occasions a paid campaign worker who was also his wife's best friend). The affair was compounded by the revelation that Ensign paid the woman and her family money to leave his campaign. And, Ensign's parents paid the family money, too.
The whole deal has raised interest and probing questions. Some say the money transfer could result in federal charges.
So, LGTS, if Bogden gets reappointed and there is an investigation of Ensign, will Bogden recuse himself?
Seems to me somebody ought to be asking that question. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying there is an investigation. Or, that anybody did anything wrong. I'm just asking.
The Ensign Affair could be the script for a Mexican soap opera. And, it seems to me it ought not be further compounded by questions about the integrity of the office of the U.S. Attorney. No?
Update: I am told that if there were an Ensign case, it would come out of the public integrity section of the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney in Nevada would not have a say one way or the other in the case and therefore not need to recuse himself. If that is the case, then I'm going to have to do an Emily Litella on this post.
In other words: Nevermind.