December 6, 2009

Baucus Suggested Girlfriend for U.S. Attorney, Aide Says

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, was dating a woman he recommended for a United States attorney position last March, a spokesman for Mr. Baucus said early Saturday.

The woman, Melodee Hanes, is a lawyer who worked for Mr. Baucus as his state office director and as a field director from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Baucus and Ms. Hanes were separated from their spouses when they became romantically involved in the summer of 2008, said the spokesman, Tyler Matsdorf. Ms. Hanes eventually resigned from her position, Mr. Matsdorf said, and she and the senator subsequently divorced their spouses.

 

“Senator Baucus is currently in a mature and happy relationship with Melodee Hanes,” Mr. Matsdorf said in a statement. “They are both divorced, and in no way was their relationship the cause of their respective divorces.”

 

In March, Mr. Baucus selected three candidates, including Ms. Hanes, for a United States attorney position in Montana and passed their names to the White House. Mr. Baucus and Ms. Hanes then decided that she should withdraw her name from consideration because they wanted to live together in Washington, Mr. Matsdorf said.

 

President Obama eventually nominated Michael Cotter, a lawyer from Helena, Mont., for the position. He is still awaiting confirmation. Ms. Hanes applied for a position with the Department of Justice earlier this year, eventually taking a job in its office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention.

 

In his statement, Mr. Matsdorf said Ms. Hanes was recommended for the United States attorney position solely on the basis of her credentials.

 

“With an extensive background as a prosecutor and extensive legal experience, Ms. Hanes submitted her name for consideration for the U.S. attorney position from Montana,” he said. “Her name was one of six that was submitted for review by Senator Baucus to an independent, highly respected Montana attorney who reviewed the applications. After an extensive evaluation of all the applicants’ qualifications, Ms. Hanes was one of three applicants the third-party reviewer recommended for consideration.”

 

Mr. Baucus and the junior senator from Montana, Jon Tester, also a Democrat, interviewed Ms. Hanes and the other two candidates as part of the recommendation process. Mr. Matsdorf said the three names were then submitted to the White House “with no ranking or preference.”

 

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