John McKay (attorney)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other persons named John McKay, see John McKay (disambiguation).

John McKay (born 19 June 1956 in Seattle, Washington) is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

1 Career as US Attorney and dismissal
2 See also
3 References
4 External link

[edit] Career as US Attorney and dismissal

Main article: Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Administration Officials Involved

Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General and former White House Counsel
Paul McNulty, Deputy Attorney General
Karl Rove, Deputy White House Chief of Staff
Harriet Miers, White House Counsel
Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General
Fred Fielding, White House Counsel
William Kelley, Deputy White House Counsel
Michael Elston, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General
William Moschella, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General

Resigned

Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General
Michael A. Battle, Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
Monica Goodling, Justice Department's liaison to the White House

US Attorneys who were fired

United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Patrick Leahy, Chair (Democrat)
Arlen Specter, Ranking member (Republican)
Brett Tolman former counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee,
U.S. Attorney, District of Utah

McKay was one of eight U.S. attorneys fired by the Bush administration in 2006 for performance-related issues related to "policy, priorities and management." (see Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy).

McKay was appointed United States Attorney by President George W. Bush in October 2001. He had received a positive evaluation seven months before he was dismissed. Among his noteworthy achievements the successful prosecution of terrorist Ahmed Ressam and earning the Navy's highest civilian honor for promoting a computer network co-ordinating law enforcement agencies.^[1]

The Seattle Times noted in February 2007 that "One of the most persistent rumors in Seattle legal circles is that the Justice Department forced McKay, a Republican, to resign to appease Washington state Republicans angry over the 2004 governor's race. Some believe McKay's dismissal was retribution for his failure to convene a federal grand jury to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the race."^[2] On March 17, 2007, the Seattle Times reported, "Former Republican congressman Rick White, one of three candidates the Republicans have submitted to replace John McKay as U.S. attorney for Western Washington, cannot practice law in the state."^[3]