Republicans returning from their week-long recess are trying to turn up the heat on the Obama administration over efforts by White House operatives to discuss the possibility of  jobs with two Democratic primary candidates if they dropped out of their races.

Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the senior Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement on Friday that he wanted hearings to investigate the issue.

“I am concerned that the Obama administration has engaged in a habit of attempting to manipulate the democratic election process to benefit the Democratic Party. Such actions are certainly unethical and may very well be criminal,” Smith said.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has previously said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to look into the allegations.

The swirl of accusations involving the White House, including back-room deal-making and promises of  jobs in exchange for political favors, has led some Republicans to suspect a juicy potential scandal. But as the facts are known, so far anyway, not many lawyers, not even Republican stalwarts, think anybody broke the law.

Steven G. Bradbury, the acting head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush, told Politico that the president can fill advisory positions in whatever method he wishes, including to “reward political loyalty.” His remarks followed those of former Attorney General Michael Mukasey who has said that finding criminality was “really a stretch.”

Bradbury offered a fuller legal analysis. ”Under the Constitution,” he said, “ it’s the president’s prerogative to fill advisory positions in the White House and to decide who will occupy senior policy offices across the administration,” said Bradbury, who suggested that Congress should not attempt to criminalize the appointment process.

“The president may make those appointment decisions for any reason he deems appropriate,” Bradbury said, “ including to reward political loyalty, and it would raise serious constitutional issues if Congress tried to prohibit the president, or anyone acting on his behalf, from offering appointments in particular circumstances.”

“For that reason,” Bradbury continued, “any statute that purports to criminalize an offer of appointment must be construed, if at all possible, not to interfere with the president’s constitutional authority, and if the statute cannot be read to avoid that result, there’s a strong argument it would be unconstitutional as so applied.”

Justice Department officials have expressed no interest in opening an inquiry. The White House has defended its actions. In one case, according to a report issued last week by White House counsel Robert Bauer, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel asked former President Bill Clinton to raise the possibility of an unpaid presidential appointment to Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), who was challenging and defeated Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary.

This week another episode emerged. Colorado senatorial candidate Andrew Romanoff said that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina brought up three positions that he might be interested in as an alternative to running against the administration’s preferred candidate, incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet.

Peter Zeidenberg, a former Justice Department prosecutor who worked in the Public Integrity Section and now works at DLA Piper, had earlier said that the Sestak offer wasn’t a crime.

“It sounds like political horsetrading and I don’t think a prosecutor would have any interest in prosecuting such a case. It doesn’t sound to me anything like a bribe,� Zeidenberg said. “You’d be laughed out of the courtroom.�

Tom Corbett (gov)

Four former U.S. Attorneys have filed to run for office in Pennsylvania. Tuesday marked the deadline for major party candidates to file with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State’s office. The primary elections to decide who will run in the November general elections will take place May 18.

Tom Corbett, who was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania by President George H.W. Bush in 1989 and served until 1993, is one of two candidates vying for the Republican nomination for governor. Current Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) is term limited.

Corbett, who is the current state attorney general, will face state Rep. Sam Rohrer in the Republican primary. On the other side of the political aisle, four candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination: Montgomery County Commissioner and former U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, state auditor general and former state Sen. Jack Wagner and state Sen. Anthony Williams.

Several former U.S. Attorneys are running for Congress in Pennsylvania:

Mary Beth Buchanan (Steve Pope)

Mary Beth Buchanan, who served as the Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney from 2001 until November 2009, is one of two candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the 4th Congressional District. She will face former Department of Homeland Security official Keith Rothfus in the Republican primary. Both candidates hope to challenge Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Patrick Meehan (doj)

In the 7th Congressional District, Pat Meehan, who led the Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2008, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Three Democrats — attorney Gail Conner, state Rep. Bryan Lentz and political consultant E. Teresa Touey – are looking to win their party’s nomination. The candidates hope to replace Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak, who is challenging Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary.

Tom Marino (Tom Marino for Congress)

Finally, Tom Marino, who was the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 2002 to October 2007, is one of three Republicans looking to unseat Rep. Chris Carney (D), who is unopposed in the Democratic primary. The other two Republicans seeking the nomination are chiropractor and 2006 state Senate candidate David Madeira and Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk.

Former Pittsburgh U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan will decide within the next couple weeks whether she will seek the Republican nomination for a House seat in Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported today.

Mary Beth Buchanan (Steve Pope)

Buchanan, who served as the Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney from 2001 until November 2009, told the newspaper that she was “very encouraged” by meetings she had with local Republicans about seeking the 4th District seat just north of Pittsburgh that is held by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), who is running for a third term.

“The common message I’ve been hearing, consistently, is that most voters feel the current administration is forcing its agenda and programs on people who don’t want them, who don’t feel like paying for them and who are not willing to leave this tax bill for future generations,” Buchanan told the Tribune-Review.

The ex-U.S. Attorney would likely challenge lawyer Keith Rothfus in the Republican primary, according to the newspaper. Congressional Quarterly rates the district as “likely Democratic” for the 2010 election.

Beaver County GOP Chairman Marty Matthews told the Tribune-Review that Buchanan would face an “uphill battle” if she runs. The former U.S. Attorney has received harsh criticism for her unsuccessful prosecution of former Allegheny County medical examiner Cyril Wecht.

Her office dismissed all charges against the prominent Democratic defendant after a federal judge threw out evidence that he ruled was improperly obtained. Wecht’s supporters accused Buchanan of targeting him because of his politics. And former Attorney General Richard Thornburgh asked Attorney General Eric Holder to discipline Buchanan for “vindictively� suggesting at a news conference that Wecht was guilty, but nothing ever came of the request -– at least publicly.

“Personal opinion, I think if there were another candidate who had the recognition that Mary Beth Buchanan has, it would be the better choice,” Matthews told the newspaper. “It’s the Wecht thing, primarily.”

We reported last week that Buchanan also came out on the losing end of an apparent political skirmish over a rescue mission for 53 Haitian orphans. She was trying to organize efforts to help Haitian children stranded in an orphanage destroyed by this month’s earthquake. But Altmire and Gov. Ed Rendell (D) planned their own rescue mission and kept the Bush U.S. Attorney mostly out of the loop.

Two other former U.S. Attorneys from Pennsylvania who served during the administration of George W. Bush have already declared their candidacies for House seats.

Tom Marino, who was the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 2002 to October 2007, is running for the seat held by Rep. Chris Carney (D). Patrick Meehan, who led the Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2008, is seeking the seat that is being vacated by Rep. Joe Sestak (D), who is running against Sen. Arlen Specter in the state’s Democratic Senate primary.

Zane D. Memeger (Morgan Lewis)

Zane D. Memeger, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, is expected to be nominated for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, while Charles M. Oberly III, a former state attorney general, is expected to be nominated for Delaware’s U.S. Attorney, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The newspaper reports that Memeger was recommended by Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and Arlen Specter, both Democrats, according to the sources with knowledge of the selection process. He will have to pass his FBI background check before President Obama sends his nomination to the Senate.

Memeger was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the district for 11 years before leaving in 2006 to join Philadelphia-headquartered Morgan Lewis, where he is now a partner, The Inquirer reports. His practice focuses on corporate and white collar crime. While in the U.S. Attorney’s office, Memeger served on the organized crime strike force. He was on the team that successfully prosecuted mobster Joey Merlino and  Imam Shamsud-din Ali on racketeering charges, according to the Inquirer.

Charles M. Oberly III (Drinker Biddle)

The Eastern District office has been vacant since Pat Meehan resigned in July 2008 to explore a bid for the Republican nomination for governor of Pennsylvania. But he’s now running for the House seat being vacated by Rep. Joe Sestak (D), who is challenging party-switching Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary next year. The district’s current interim U.S. Attorney is Michael L. Levy.

Meanwhile, Oberly, who is now of counsel with the Wilmington office of the firm Drinker Biddle, is expected to be nominated within a month, according to the Inquirer’s sources. Oberly was the Delaware attorney general from 1983 to 1985. He had a failed bid for U.S. Senate in 1994.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) said Tueday he will support Dawn Johnsen to lead the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel.

The former Republican, who is up for re-election this year, previously said he opposed Johnsen for the post. Specter announced his position in a statement released by his office hours after his opponent in the Democratic primary, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), called on the senator to get behind Johnsen, an Indiana University law professor.

Arlen Specter (Getty Images)

“After voting ‘pass’ (which means no position) in the Judiciary Committee, I had a second extensive meeting with Ms. Johnsen and have been prepared to support her nomination when it reaches the Senate floor,” Specter said.

The Pennsylvania senator will vote for cloture on the  nomination and vote in favor of her confirmation on the Senate floor, according to a Specter spokesperson. The Democrats’ inability to muster 60 votes to end debate on her nomination has been the procedural hurdle holding up the nomination. It is still unclear if Specter’s support will be enough to move Johnsen through the Senate.

Johnsen was first nominated on Feb. 11, 2009. On March 19, 2009, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her nomination on a party line vote.

As it recessed for its winter break on Dec. 24, the Senate returned her nomination to the White House. Obama intends to re-nominate her for the post.

Dawn Johnsen (Indiana University)

The senator’s office said in a statement to Main Justice last November that Specter still had “several concerns” about Johnsen, after meeting with her twice in April and May to “get clarification on her positions.” His office issued the November statement after we asked the senator to respond to accusations from Sestak that Specter was blocking the nomination.

Conservative senators have criticized Johnsen for her vocal opposition to the Bush administration’s legal policies and her work on an abortion-rights group, while several liberal groups have praised her.

Specter, who switched parties in April, is facing a tough primary challenge in a state with an increasingly conservative GOP electorate. His political challenge now is to appeal to Democrats while still holding onto some Republican voters if he gets to the general election

This post has been updated from an earlier version.

Sen. Arlen Specter’s opponent in the upcoming Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary called on the former Republican to get behind President Barack Obama’s pick to lead the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel.

“Senator Specter, President Obama is giving you a second chance to support his nominee to lead the Office of Legal Counsel,” Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) said in a memo to Specter.

Dawn Johnsen (Indiana University)

Specter has said he opposes Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen for the post. But has yet to say whether he would support a procedural motion to end debate on her nomination, which would allow Johnsen to come before the Senate for an up-or-down vote. Specter met with her at least two times last year to discuss her nomination.

Specter, who is up for re-election this year, switched parties in April after concluding he could not win a primary election among the state’s increasingly conservative GOP electorate. His political challenge now is to appeal to Democrats while still holding onto some Republican voters if he gets to the general election.

Johnsen was critical of the Bush administration’s legal policies and also once worked for an abortion-rights group. She has strong support from liberal groups but is opposed by conservative senators, who have blocked her nomination for nearly a year.

Johnsen was nominated on Feb. 11, 2009. On March 19, 2009, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her nomination on a party line vote.  Specter, who was a Republican at the time, abstained from the panel vote.

As it recessed for its winter break on Dec. 24, the Senate returned her nomination to the White House. Obama intends to re-nominate her for the post. A spokesperson for Specter did not have an immediate comment.

This is the second time Sestak has urged the senator to support Johnsen. Sestak trails the senator by 23 points in a December Quinnipiac University poll. The primary is in May.

Patrick Meehan (doj)

Pat Meehan, a former U.S. Attorney and Republican candidate for a House seat from the Philadelphia suburbs, is the only declared GOP candidate in the race, thanks to some careful maneuvering by the Delaware County Republican Party, The Bulletin of Philadelphia reports.

The seat will be open, as incumbent Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) has decided to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Initially, millionaire businessman Steve Welch was expected to run for the GOP nomination in the 7th congressional district; however, the party “successfully ‘persuaded’” him to run in the 6th district instead, The Bulletin reports.

However, Meehan might have one more hurdle to face — Dawn Stensland. The Bulletin reports that Stensland, a television reporter and anchor for Fox’s Philadelphia affiliate, is considering running for the Republican nomination in the 7th congressional district.

Dawn Stensland (Fox)

If Stensland were to run she likely would “generate an immediate buzz,” as she has been in the limelight as a TV personality, the newspaper reports. In addition, Stensland is the wife of former well-known television anchor man Larry Mendte. According to The Bulletin, “a serious and aggressive Stensland campaign has the ability to throw the Meehan effort way off track,” as Stensland already is a household name, while Meehan is not.

Meehan might have an advantage in the fundraising arena, as he raised $212,000 in the third quarter of this year, and has $210,942.01 on hand, according to his most recent Federal Election Commission report.

Three Democrats have announced their candidacies: state Rep. Bryan Lentz, attorney and environmental consultant Gail Conner, and political consultant E. Teresa Touey.

Sen. Arlen Specter’s challenger in the 2010 Pennsylvania Democratic primary is bringing the stalled Dawn Johnsen nomination to the fore of the election battle.

Joe Sestak (Gov)

Rep. Joe Sestak, Specter’s Democratic primary opponent, accused the Pennsylvania senator of “joining the GOP stonewalling” of the Office of Legal Counsel nominee, who has languished without a Senate vote for seven months. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Johnsen’s nomination in March, but Specter hasn’t committed to support her.

“Opposition to Professor Johnsen does not have to do with her qualifications to head of the Office of Legal Counsel,” Sestak said in a statement. “Rather, it has to do with her pro-choice views and her vocal, but justified, opposition to extra-legal practices of the Bush administration. I call on my colleague, Arlen Specter, to state unequivocally that he will stop supporting Republican obstructionist tactics and stop depriving the President of his most important legal advisor in this difficult and dangerous time.”

Specter changed parties in April after it became clear he would face a tough Republican primary challenge next year from former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). At a news conference announcing his dramatic party switch, Specter said he opposed Johnsen. But he has never clarified whether he would vote for a procedural motion to advance her nomination. Democrats need 60 votes to end debate and move to a full Senate vote on Johnsen.

“Senator Specter has several concerns about Ms. Johnsen’s nomination,” Specter’s office said in a statement to Main Justice today. “Senator Specter had a second meeting with her to get clarification on her positions and he is still considering her nomination.” The first meeting was April 2, and the second occurred May 12, according to Specter’s office.

Sestak is trailing Specter by 19 points in the latest Quinnipiac University poll released last month.

We reported last week that several liberal groups are putting more pressure on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this week to move on Johnsen.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and many Republicans have criticized the Indiana University law professor because of her vocal opposition to the Bush administration’s national security policies and her past work for abortion rights.A

Patrick Meehan (doj)

The former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Pat Meehan, is keeping pace on fundraising with his likely Democratic opponent for a House seat next year, Federal Election Commission reports show.

Meehen is running for the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district. State Rep. Bryan Lentz is bidding for the Democratic nomination.

Meehan’s FEC report shows he raised $212,000 in the third quarter of this year, and has $210,942.01 on hand. Lentz raised$220,000 in the quarter, and has $218,000 cash on hand.

Bryan Lentz (gov)

The seat is open because Sestak is mounting a Democratic primary challenge against party-switching Sen. Arlen Specter (D) next year. Meehan was previously considering a run for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.

Meehan served as the Philadelphia-based district’s top prosecutor from September 2001 until July 2008. Meehan’s deputy, Laurie Magid, was named interim U.S. Attorney. But she abruptly resigned in May, a month before her 120-day interim appointment would have expired. Magid’s husband had hosted a fundraising event for Meehan, which stirred controversy in the office. Some prosecutors had also complained about her management skills.

Patrick Meehan (DOJ)

A former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will make a “major campaign announcement”  on Monday regarding a possible run for the House, The Morning Call reported today.

Republican Pat Meehan, who served as the top federal prosecutor in Philadelphia from 2001 to 2008, will make the announcement during three stops around the 7th congressional district. Meehan previously said he was “seriously considering� a run for Congress after abandoning plans to run for governor.

Meehan has his eye on the eastern Pennsylvania congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Joe Sestak (D). Sestak is challenging Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate next year. If Meehan enters the race for Sestak’s seat, he will likely face businessman Steve Welch in the Republican primary.