The N&O’s Andy Curliss reported last weekend that Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan had put together a three-member committee to nominate a replacement for U.S. Attorney George Holding, who’s running the investigations of Democrats John Edwards and Mike Easley, with a recommendation seeming imminent.
However, today Curliss reports that Hagan has asked President Obama to keep Holding, a Bush appointee, in his job until he concludes the probes. “I don’t feel it’s in North Carolina’s best interest to replace someone who is investigating these two very high profile people,” she said.
There also could be a less high-minded reason for junking the replacement committee. From Curliss:
Her [Hagan’s] comments today came a day after the resignation of one member of the three-person screening panel that Hagan established to winnow candidates for the top prosecutors’ positions in North Carolina.
Locke Clifford, a criminal defense lawyer from Greensboro, stepped down on Tuesday but did not cite a reason. … Clifford’s vehicle was spotted at the Easley home on Tuesday.
Nope, nothing suspicious about that.
