The lawyer who vetted the fiancee of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) for the Montana U.S. Attorney nomination is the finalist for a federal judgeship in the state, the Missoulian reported Saturday.

Baucus, with the backing of a five-attorney search committee, urged President Barack Obama to nominate Dana Christensen as the replacement for U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy, who will take senior status this summer. In 2009, Christensen approved Baucus’s then-girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, in addition to Montana lawyers Mike Wheat and Michael Cotter, for the state’s U.S. Attorney nomination, and the senator forwarded their names to Obama.

Hanes, a former state prosecutor and ex-state director for Baucus, withdrew as a U.S. Attorney candidate after the Montana senator submitted her name to the White House. Obama ultimately nominated Cotter to the post, and the Senate confirmed him in December 2009. Hanes is now the acting Deputy Administrator for Policy in the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a unit that supports research, training and programs for juvenile justice programs throughout the United States.

Christensen said in 2009 that he didn’t know that Hanes and Baucus were in a relationship when he vetted her. Baucus and Hanes started their relationship in summer 2008, the same year the senator separated from his second wife, Wanda. The senator and his second wife, who were married for 25 years, announced their divorce in April 2009.

Hanes also had a previous marriage. She and her ex-husband, Thomas Bennett, divorced in December 2008. Baucus and Hanes were engaged in December.

“People talked to me about Melodee Hanes when she was in the running [for U.S. attorney] and I didn’t know anything either,” U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull, a nominee of President George W. Bush, told the Missoulian. “There may be webs of corruption in politics, but Dana Christensen certainly hasn’t been a part of any.”

Former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead (R) was sworn in on Monday as Wyoming’s 32nd governor.

Mead served as the state’s U.S. Attorney from from 2001 to 2007. He already has named several of his former colleagues from the office to his administration.

At the swearing-in ceremony and at the inaugural ball that night were several former U.S. Attorneys, according to former Colorado U.S. Attorney Troy Eid, who attend the events.

Among those in attendance were Bill Mercer of Montana, Johnny Sutton of the Western District of Texas, John Ratcliffe of the Eastern District of Texas, Tom Moss of Idaho and Susan Brooks of the Southern District of Indiana, according to Eid.

This story has been corrected from an earlier version.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) intends to marry his live-in girlfriend and former contender for Montana U.S. Attorney this summer, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Baucus and Melodee Hanes were engaged over Christmas in Montana.  In 2009, Hanes withdrew as a candidate for U.S. Attorney over conflict of interest concerns. Michael Cotter, whom Baucus also recommended for U.S. Attorney, was ultimately appointed to the post in December 2009.

Hanes is now the acting Deputy Administrator for Policy in the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, an arm of the DOJ that supports research, training and programs for juvenile justice programs throughout the United States. She received the political appointment in OJP in June 2009, a few months after she took herself out of the running for U.S. Attorney.

The former U.S. Attorney candidate previously served as a Baucus staffer and state prosecutor.

Baucus and Hanes entered into their relationship in the summer of 2008, the same year the senator separated from his second wife, Wanda. The senator and his second wife, who were married for 25 years, announced their divorce in April 2009.

Hanes also had a previous marriage. She and her ex-husband, Thomas Bennett, divorced in December 2008.

Matt Mead (Matt Mead for Governor)

A U.S. Attorney during the George W. Bush administration will be the Republican nominee for Wyoming governor, the Associated Press reported.

Matt Mead, who led the Cheyenne-based U.S. Attorney’s office from 2001 to 2007, edged out state auditor Rita Meyer in the Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday.

He will challenge Leslie Petersen, the chairwoman of Wyoming’s Democratic Party, in the November election.

The Montana U.S. Attorney’s office will hire three new prosecutors to combat crime on American Indian reservations in the state, the Great Falls Tribune reported Tuesday.

“I think we will be able to have a greater effect on the quality of life on Indian reservations,” Montana U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter told the newspaper. “Help is on the way.”

Cotter said he hopes to bring in the new prosecutors as soon as possible, but said the process could take months.

The Justice Department has made American Indian issues a top priority. Over the last year, the DOJ has issued a number of new policies and plans to address Indian Country crime, which former Deputy Attorney General David Ogden said earlier this year has hit “unacceptable levels” and is lowering the quality of life for American Indians.

Melodee Hanes, the live-in girlfriend of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) who withdrew as a candidate for Montana U.S. Attorney over conflict of interest concerns, moderated a panel discussion today in the “Senate” room at Washington’s Mayflower Hotel. The topic was improving legal representation for juveniles who can’t afford an attorney.

Hanes is the acting Deputy Administrator for Policy in the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, an arm of the DOJ that supports research, training and programs for juvenile justice programs throughout the country. Hanes received the political appointment in OJP last June, a few months after she withdrew her candidacy for Montana U.S. Attorney.

When asked how her job is going, Hanes sweetly told Main Justice: “I don’t have any comments today.”

Hanes then thanked Main Justice for the question and quickly walked out of the room. Main Justice broke the story on her relationship with the powerful senator, who had recommended her along with two others for the plum federal prosecuting job.

Patricia Cotter (gov)

Montana’s new U.S. Attorney, Michael Cotter and his wife, Montana Supreme Court Justice Patricia Cotter, have been dubbed Montana’s “power couple” by The Great Falls Tribune, which published an article Monday featuring the couple.

Michael Cotter was confirmed as Montana’s U.S. Attorney last Dec. 24 and he was sworn in on Dec. 30. Patricia Cotter was first elected to the state Supreme Court in 2000 and was re-elected in 2008.

The couple met at the University of Notre Dame School of Law in 1975 and have since focused on building not only their families but both of their legal careers, according to the newspaper. They both started their legal careers working together in the law offices of John C. Hoyt in Great Falls, Mont., according to the newspaper.

When Michael decided to apply to become Montana’s top federal prosecutor, the couple discussed potential conflicts.  “We talked about it before I submitted my name: whether in the past there had been any situations where a federal case came over to the Montana Supreme Court for consideration,” Cotter told the newspaper. “It has happened a few times before but not very often.”

Justice Cotter told the newspaper, “On occasion a federal court can certify to the Montana Supreme Court questions on state law,” adding, “It may happen three or four times a year, and typically the United States is not a party in those cases. I think we’ve had one case in my 10 years on the court in which the United States was a party. If that happened while Mike was a United States Attorney then I would recuse myself.”

Unlesss and until that happens, the new U.S. Attorney will be focused on prosecuting violent crimes, drug trafficking, international organized crime and terrorism, hate crimes, economic crimes, protecting children and crime in Indian country, according to The Tribune.

Michael, who had never before held public office, told the newspaper he considers himself apolitical and plans to maintain that neutrality in his new job. “Politics plays no role in being an attorney representing the government,” Cotter told The Tribune. “It’s the facts of the case and the law that is violated. The facts drive whether or not a crime has been committed.”

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who along with Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) recommended Michael for the post, said his recommendation was based on Cotter’s extensive legal experience and commitment to public service, not politics. In a statement, Baucus said, “He has strong expertise, including trying cases in federal court, was well known in Montana legal circles and has extensive roots in the community, including volunteering with youth programs and his church. Mr. Cotter is also experienced in managing personnel both as a private practice attorney and as a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Army.”

Cotter was nominated for the post in September. Baucus’s live-in girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, had been a finalist for the position before she withdrew. She now holds a political appointment at the Justice Department. She became acting Deputy Administrator for Policy in the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention a few months after her withdrawal.

Bill Mercer (gov)

Outgoing Montana U.S. Attorney Bill Mercer says his time in public service has led him to one conclusion — never again, The Great Falls Tribune reported yesterday. He told the newspaper, “After 21 years of public service, it’s safe to say I won’t be in public service again, but that’s about as much as I want to say about it for now.”

Mercer told The Tribune he’s proud of improvements he made in communication and cooperation between government on the federal and local levels. However, he credited then-Attorney General John Ashcroft with initiating the push. He also cited progress in Indian Country crime issues as a success of his tenure.

As for his successor, Mike Cotter, who was sworn in Dec. 30, Mercer told the newspaper that the incoming prosecutor’s focus likely will be on prescription drug abuse. “The thorniest problem of this decade for Montana is going to be prescription drug abuse,” Mercer said, adding, “It’s shocking the tremendous number of people reporting prescription drug overdose deaths.”

Cotter said his first week as the state’s top federal prosecutor has been a whirlwind of briefings and meetings, adding that the job has a “pretty steep learning curve,” The Independent Record of Helena, Mont., reports. He joked the learning curve is similar to “drinking water through a fire hose,” the newspaper reported.

Among the issues he cited as priorities are economic crimes, crime in Indian Country and crime against children, The Independent Record reported. Cotter said he will work on goals set forth by the Barack Obama administration in addition to continuing the efforts of Mercer, The Associated Press reports.

Over the holiday week, five U.S. Attorneys were sworn in. They are:

• James L. Santelle (Eastern District of Wisconsin): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin was sworn in this morning. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Santelle replaces Bush appointee Steven Biskupic. Biskupic was appointed U.S. Attorney in May 2002. In 2007, Biskupic and his office came under review by congressional investigators looking into the dismissal of U.S. Attorneys. He resigned in January 2009 to join the Milwaukee law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich as a litigator.

• Beth Phillips (Western District of Missouri): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri was sworn in Dec. 31. She was confirmed Dec. 24. Phillips replaces Bush appointee John Wood. Wood headed the office from 2007 to 2009 before resigning in February to join the D.C. office of a leading Wall Street law firm as a partner.

• Mike Cotter (District of Montana): The private practice attorney was sworn in Dec. 30. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Cotter replaces controversial Bush appointee William Mercer, who had held the post since 2001. Mercer wore two hats at DOJ, serving as U.S. Attorney and as Acting Associate Attorney General from September 2006 to June 2007. At DOJ headquarters, he assisted in the politicized firings of other U.S. Attorneys, congressional investigators found. A federal judge and leading Democrats in Montana had called for his resignation.

• Sanford Coats (Western District of Oklahoma): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Oklahoma was sworn in Dec. 30. He was confirmed Dec. 24. Coats replaces John C. Richter, who was named to head the office on an interim basis in 2005 and confirmed by the Senate in 2006. Richter resigned in August to teach law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

• Barbara McQuade (Eastern District of Michigan): The former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan was sworn in today. She was confirmed Dec. 24. McQuade replaces Stephen J. Murphy who became U.S. Attorney in 2006. In 2008 he became a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan.

In a wrap-up session just before leaving town until next year,  the Senate today confirmed seven U.S. Attorneys by voice vote.

They are:

Richard Callahan (Gov)

- Richard Callahan (Eastern District of Missouri): The state circuit judge in Missouri succeeds Catherine L. Hanaway, who resigned earlier this year. He was nominated for the post in October. Read more about Callahan here.

- Sanford Coats (Western District of Oklahoma): Coats, who been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the western Oklahoma office, succeeds John Richter, who stepped down in August. Coats was nominated on Sept. 30. Read more about Coats here.

- Michael Cotter (Montana): The Helena, Mont., lawyer replaces Bill Mercer, who is a holdover from the George W. Bush administration. Obama nominated Cotter for U.S. Attorney on Sept. 25, after the live-in girlfriend of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) withdrew from consideration. As the state’s senior Democratic senator, Baucus had recommended three candidates to the White House. Read more about Cotter here.

- Christopher Crofts (Wyoming): The counsel to Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) replaces Bush holdover Kelly Rankin. He was nominated on Nov. 30. Read more about Crofts here.

Barbara L. McQuade (ICLE)

- Barbara McQuade (Eastern District of Michigan): The Eastern District of Michigan Assistant U.S. Attorney succeeds Stephen J. Murphy, who resigned in 2008. She was nominated on Nov. 30. Read more about her here.

James L. Santelle (Wisconsin Law Journal)

- James Santelle (Eastern District of Wisconsin): Santelle, who has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District office, succeeds Steven Biskupic, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in January. Obama tapped Santelle for the post on Nov. 30. Read more about Santelle here.

- Mary Elizabeth Phillips (Western District of Missouri): Phillips, who was nominated Sept. 30, succeeds John Wood, who resigned in February. Read more about Phillips here.

The Senate has now confirmed 31 U.S. Attorneys. The Senate Judiciary Committee has yet to schedule votes votes for another 10 would-be U.S. Attorneys, including the nominees Obama tapped today and last Tuesday. One of Obama’s nominees, Stephanie Villafuerte of Colorado, withdrew from consideration two weeks ago.