Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Law Barnes withdraws from U.S. attorney consideration
Posted by Max Brantley on Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 2:40 PM
You've read my carping about the slow pace of judicial and U.S. attorney appointments by the Obama administration.
Fallout today.
Michael Barnes, a partner at Wright Lindsey and Jennings who was widely presumed to be the pick for U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock, released a brief statement today saying he would no longer be seeking the position.
"It was an honor to be considered but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration," he said. "This process has taken a very long time, but it is now time for me to get back to my law practice and the great firm of Wright Lindsey and Jennings. I’m certain an outstanding person will ultimately be selected to fill this very important position."
Emphasis on ultimately. Already, it seems likely the U.S. attorneys chosen in Arkansas will begin work with less than two years remaining on President Obama's first (maybe only) term.
Barnes, 47, a partner at the Wright firm since 1993 and son of federal Judge Harry Barnes of Camden, wouldn't comment further. But not having even been nominated yet by the president, a candidate for this job is looking at months before completion of the confirmation process, presuming he or she doesn't present a problem to one Republican or another who might place a hold on a nomination or stir up a filibuster.
Chris Thyer and Edward O. Walker also were recommended for the post by Arkansas's senators, but my sources said Barnes was the top pick and had been through required Justice Department interviews. His name was sent forward last October and still no action. Why so slow? There's been no movement on a U.S. attorney for the western district, either, or for a couple of federal judgeships in Arkansas. Arkansas seems behind the curve on U.S. attorney confirmations, according to this website that monitors U.S. attorney appointments (not a Justice Department website as I originally wrote).
I asked if the senators had comments. A spokesman for Pryor said, "No. We feel the same way you do."
Comments (7)
Showing 1-7 of 7
Michael Barnes could have been a fine choice for U.S. Attorney in our state. Now we're stuck with Jane Duke again. Huge mistake on Obama's part.
My patience with Obama is now exhausted.
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May not be the case here, but withdrawals of this kind are usually the result of the candidate being told behind closed doors that it ain’t gonna happen. Though the situation might have appeared promising, a fly could have found its way into the ointment somehow.
Or, to state the obvious, Barnes could have simply grown tired of it all and said, hey, who needs this? Politics, protocol, and decorum being what they are, we’re not likely to ever know.
Either way, it’s a pity a U.S. attorney for the Eastern District has not been seated. I can't think of a recent president who's had more distractions to deal with than Obama has had, but still . . .
You said it, RC. That office would be better off with Bud Cummins than Jane Duke and that ain't sayin' much.
REDICAL CENTRIST - LOVE THE RC COLA!
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DUKE?
DOES SHE FORCE HER WAY AND THREATEN EVERYONE?
THAT IS HOW IT SEEMS TO ME.
PLEASE CONFIRM.
THANKS 4 UR HELP.
clean up - I lost confidence in Jane Duke when she started filing federal lawsuits to shut down the state's Human Development Centers for persons with developmental disabilities, while the federal Department of Labor is trying to impose costly and unwarranted regulations on the community-based service providers. The feds are destroying all of the safety nets, and the end result will be that the HDC residents will lose their services and safe havens, and the consequences will be disastrous for some of them. A lot of the people that Jane Duke claims she is protecting will end up in jail, subjected to abuse, or worse. I was looking forward to getting a responsible person for our U.S. Attorney, but Obama has fiddled around for too long now, so we're stuck with Jane Duke. Such gullibility is not a desirable characteristic for someone in her position. I'm very grateful to Governor Beebe for having a much better understanding of the situation, and the tragedies ahead if Jane Duke's ill-advised lawsuit is wrongly decided.
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