Bogden tabbed to be U.S. Attorney for Nevada

By Lisa Mascaro

Friday, July 31, 2009 | 2:12 p.m.

WASHINGTON - The White House today nominated former U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden to return to his former post as the top federal prosecutor in Nevada.

President Barack Obama nominated Bodgen and three others to U.S. Attorney posts in four states.

“These fine men and women have demonstrated the extensive knowledge of the law and deep commitment to public service Americans deserve from their United States Attorneys," Obama said.

“It is with the utmost confidence in their ability and integrity that I nominate them for the weighty task of pursuing justice on behalf of the American people.".

Bodgen had been fired at Nevada’s U.S. Attorney in late 2006 as part of an unprecedented dismissal in of nine attorneys nationwide in an action that shook up the Justice Department.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales eventually resigned after Congress began investigating the firings, and Congress continues to look into the dismissals as undue politicization of the department.

Earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced his intent to put Bodgen forward as his recommendation for the job, saying he wanted to right the wrong of the dismissal.

However, choosing Bogden has led to discontent among some in the Nevada office, as criticism has emerged of Bogden’s leadership skills. Some had hoped for a new direction.

Bodgen is currently working in the Nevada law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson.