Max Baucus nominated his girlfriend for U.S. Attorney

Democratic Senator Max Baucus has just been busted for nominated his girlfriend to be the U.S. Attorney in Montana.

Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Finance Committee, nominated his girlfriend to serve as a federal prosecutor earlier this year, the senator's spokesman said on Saturday.

Baucus recommended Melodee Hanes, who served on his staff at the time and has an ongoing romantic relationship with the divorced senator, and two others for the post of U.S. attorney in his home state of Montana, Baucus spokesman Tyler Matsdorf said in an emailed statement.

Baucus eventually pulled the nomination when he and Ms. Hanes decided they wanted to live together in Washington DC.  Michael Cotter, a Helena lawyer, was ultimately chosen by President Obama to fill the post.

Justin Gardner at True/Slant wrote:

I don’t care who met who and when it happened…if you’re sleeping with somebody and you’re in a position of power it’s not appropriate to nominate them for a job. No way, no how.

This will probably fill our scandal quotient for the week, but how is Baucus's behavior any different from Congressional members who've routinely nominated their buddies and big time campaign contributors?

Comments

[libhomo]

Baucus should have resigned already for taking money from the HMOs.

[Jay McDonough]

...and allowing that relationship to influence the Senate health care bill.