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Friday, January 26, 2007

Anti-Doping and Politics

A few days ago USA Today ran a cover piece on outgoing US Attorney Kevin Ryan. He essentially created the BALCO affair and is the lead prosecutor.

Why is he outgoing? Well, he's being forced out. As in "asked to resign". This is highly unusual in the middle of a presidential term--so much so that the Senate scheduled a hearing on the matter yesterday. Turns out somebody slipped a provision into the renewal of the Patriot Act a few months ago that allows the President to name whoever he wants as repleacements without Senate approval. Ryan is one of 11 who have been forced out; almost all have been investigating and prosecuting...Republican politicians. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

Ryan doesn't fit the mold, apparently. Your guess is as good as mine as to why he's out. BALCO will go on, and while it might not be prosecuted as well as it was it might also get better. Time will tell.

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