Reid recommends Bogden for U.S. attorney

By Lisa Mascaro (contact)

Published Monday, March 9, 2009 | 12:16 p.m.

Updated Monday, March 9, 2009 | 4:15 p.m.

Daniel Bogden

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has recommended that the White House reappoint the former U.S. Attorney in Nevada who had been among nine prosecutors fired by the Bush administration in an unusual purge more than two years ago.

Daniel Bogden had been a career prosecutor with the Department of Justice before being ousted in the unprecedented firings in 2006. He is being vetted now for his old job, Reid’s office said.

Reid, in an interview this afternoon, said he put Bogden's name forward after consulting with federal judges and those familiar with the U.S. Attorney's office in Nevada.

"I didn't just do this on a whim," Reid said in his office with Nevada press. "I just think it's so unfair what happened to him."

Bogden and the other attorneys were dismissed in 2006 leading to widespread investigations of politicization within the Justice department. President George W. Bush’s Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, stepped down in 2007.

Justice officials had given shifting reasons during testimony before Congress for Bogden’s dismissal. Gonzales has said that he regretted letting Bogden go.

Bogden has remained in Nevada, in private practice.

Federal regulations prevented Bogden from returning to his 20-plus year career as a federal prosecutor once he had served as U.S. Attorney.

Reid noted that it was never clear why Bogden was dismissed.

"This is not fair to have Bogden with this mark ... There was nothing bad about him. It's just Karl Rove trying to get back at Nevada, I guess," Reid said.

Bogden was neither a Democrat nor Republican, but registered as non-partisan.

"He was an independent, never been a Republican - maybe that's why he got dumped," Reid said.

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee announced it had secured testimony from Rove

, the former Bush aide, and former White House counsel Harriet Miers in the attorney's firings.

If appointed by President Barack Obama, Bogden would replace Nevada’s U.S. Attorney Greg Brower, who was appointed by Bush to fill Bogden’s position.

Reid spokesman Jon Summers said the senator believes Brower “has been doing a great job,” but wants to return Bogden to the post.