Just coming across the wires -- Max Baucus is admitting to having an affair with a woman he nominated for US attorney. The woman, Melodee Hanes, withdrew her name later in the nomination process.
Nothing more at this point... please add links and any musings as they coming across the wires.
Here's the New York Times link --
http://www.nytimes.com/...
*** A quick update before signing off ***
I tossed a link into the thread from Roll Call's article tonight about the affair. It has one important factoid that deserves further scrutiny, that Baucus and Hanes had a substantial professional relationship in the years prior to their affair and his nomination of her. She served as a high-ranking counsel to him for six years.
That'd be a pretty convenient person to have as one's US attorney in one's state...
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus’ office confirmed late Friday night that the Montana Democrat was carrying on an affair with his state office director, Melodee Hanes, when he nominated her to be U.S. attorney in Montana.
According to a source familiar with their relationship, Hanes and Baucus began their relationship in the summer of 2008 – nearly a year before Baucus and his wife, Wanda, divorced in April 2009. The Senator had informally separated from his wife in March 2008 and they were living apart when he began dating Hanes, according to Baucus' office.
Hanes has had a long professional relationship with Baucus, working as field director and counsel to his office between 2003 and 2005 and then as state director and counsel between 2005 and this spring. She also worked as the regional finance director for Baucus’ 2002 re-election campaign
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