Via Main Justice, we note with interest that
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, who has been accused of pursuing politically motivated prosecutions and who played a role in the US attorneys firings scandal, is reportedly looking at a run for Congress in Pennsylvania.
Buchanan is consulting with state and national GOP leaders and is “50-50” on whether to run, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, quoting a local Republican county chair.
She was appointed by George W. Bush in 2001, and went on to lead the Executive Office of United States Attorneys from 2004 to 2005. Kyle Sampson, top aide to Alberto Gonzales, told Congressional investigators that Buchanan was one of the officials consulted when he was drawing up a list of US attorneys to fire.
In June, Buchanan dropped the controversial prosecution of a prominent Democrat in Pennsylvania after the trial resulted in a hung jury. She had to beat back suggestions that the alleged corruption case should never have been brought.
The fourth district seat, in western Pennsylvania, is currently held by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA).
