House committee doc dump: Fired USA's brother wrote Rove about brother's application for federal district judge

A federal judgeship seat as opening up in Washington. Then USA John McKay applied for the position. However, McKay received no support from the Republicans on the judicial selection commission. McKay not only lost the nomination for judgeship but he was asked to stepped down as USA which eventually we learned that McKay was politically fired. In 2007, Bush nominated Judge Richard Jones to be a U.S. district judge for Western Washington.

In the House committee documents of the USA firing probe, Michael D. McKay, attorney, Bush loyalist, and John McKay's brother, wrote to Rove concerning his brother's application for judgeship. Michael McKay was U.S. Attorney under the first President Bush. Here is his letter to Rove:

P. 172:

15 December 2006

Mr. Karl Rove
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20502
.
Re: U.S. Attorney John McKay's Application for Federal District Judge

Dear Karl:

Brother John received a call from the White House Counsel's office yesterday. During
that call he was informed that he will not be nominated for the Federal Judge position here in the
Western District of Washington. While we are disappointed with this decision; we are sincerely
grateful for the close look that he received by the White House during this process. I know that
this would not have occurred without your personal assistance.

This has not been a good week: Last Friday, John was asked to step down as U.S.
Attorney. A loyal soldier, he submitted his letters ofresignation three business days later and
will leave office next month.

Since 1980,1 have been a strong member of the Bush team. Please know that, in spite of
of this deep disappointment, I remain so and am available to help if there is anything I can do for you or your office out here in the Pacific Northwest.

With warm regards.

Very truly yours,

McKAY CHADWELL, PLLC

Michael D. McKay


Also, Rove was questioned by the House committee on fired USA John McKay's candidacy for judgeship. From Rove July 7 Interview :

Q Now, do you recall that Mr. McKay was also at one point a candidate for a judicial nomination in Washington?

A I believe so. Washington has this odd commission structure, however, which you would come to love, which did not approve of, as I recall, or there were problems within the commission structure.

Q Was there any discussion of that nomination slot or would there have been discussion of that nomination slot routinely at JSC meetings?

A That's a commission. So the commissions were treated slightly differently. They got -- the commissions would cough up a name, and then it was less discussed at JSC. It wasn't discussed at JSC at the beginning. Those people then had to be interviewed by the Justice Department, White House Counsel, and only then -- I mean, our authority on commissions is basically to reject them. So -- and there the attitude is you reject them if you think they are by experience or philosophy disqualified. And I can't tell you the details on the Washington State and McKay.

My recollection is he didn't even make it to us through the commission process but I can't recall.