Alleged attempt to tamper with Louisiana senator’s phone exposes patronage squabble
By APWednesday, January 27, 2010
Phone tampering case exposes patronage squabble
WASHINGTON — A criminal case against four conservative activists accused of trying to tamper with the New Orleans office phones of Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., has highlighted a patronage squabble between the White House and a Republican senator.
Bringing the charges against the four men was Jim Letten, the U.S. attorney in New Orleans and a holdover Bush Administration appointee. One of four arrested Monday in the alleged plot was Robert Flanagan, the son of Bill Flanagan, a career prosecutor who is the acting U.S. attorney in Shreveport, La.
A week ago, President Barack Obama nominated Stephanie Finley for the U.S. attorney’s post in Shreveport.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is blocking Senate action on Finley’s nomination and Obama’s other nominees for federal justice system posts in Louisiana until he hears from the White House whether Obama will let Letten keep his job, Vitter’s office said Wednesday.
Tags: Barack Obama, Louisiana, New Orleans, North America, Shreveport, United States, Washington
