Once the USDOJ dumped this last batch of documents, I went diving, intending to suss out details behind a mysterious dismissal that I've been following.
Instead I found information showing that a major Republican donor will name replacements for Carol Lam and Kevin Ryan.
WTF?
Get familiar with this name, because I think you're going to see a lot of it in the near future.
Parsky Commission
You will see this organization named in DOJDocsPt1-6070319.pdf, page 49, document number DAG000000702, in a table that outlines the names of the Gonzales Eight, a brief CV, status regarding a replacement and the party that has been tasked with finding nominees for replacements.
Not unexpectedly, in the table document Sen. Domenici and Ensign, Rep. Reichert are listed as recommending replacements.
But the same document says, "Parsky Commission will recommend potential candidates," next to Lam's and Ryan's names.
The commission is named for Gerald "Gerry" Parsky, a long-time Republican supporter and a heavy-weight donor. Parsky and his spouse have given more than $629,000 since 1993 to Republican candidates and PAC's.
What else you got on Parsky and the eponymous commission? I have to hit the hay, but I'll be back in the morning with more follow-up. California Kossacks, what's up with your state?
Update [2007-3-20 15:9:50 by Rayne]: 3:10 EDT --
Was Lam not a first choice in CA for a USA slot? What about Ryan?
White House officials declined to name the candidates under review, but sources close to the process identified them as Thomas E. Holliday of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Vincent J. Marella of Bird Marella Boxer & Wolpert.
The names were submitted by Gerald Parsky, a West L.A. financier who, after serving as President Bush's California campaign chairman, has the sole power to recommend candidates for U.S. Attorney posts and federal judgeships statewide.
Parsky did not return phone calls last week.
[source: Los Angeles Business Journal 05-NOV-2001]
Bold mine -- huh? SOLE POWER to recommend? I am no closer to understanding why an unelected Republican donor has ever had this kind of power...