Minnesota U.S. Attorney Heads Back to Washington

Embattled Minnesota U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose -- whose 20-month tenure was marked by sharp disagreements with her staff and the resignations of several top officials -- is on the way out. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Paulose announced yesterday that she will be returning to Washington to take a job at Justice Department headquarters.

Paulose had been caught up in this year's controversy over the Justice Department's handling of U.S. attorneys, largely because of her friendship with key Alberto Gonzales aide Monica Goodling. But the main problem seems to be that she couldn't win the support of career attorneys in her office.

The Washington Post quotes an anonymous source "familiar with the decision" as saying Paulose "has come to realize, and the new attorney general and others, that management was a challenge for her there. She felt it was best for her office for her to . . . get out of this management position and into a place where she could excel."

Still unclear is what will happen to the Office of Special Counsel investigation into allegations that Paulose mishandled classified information and retaliated against career employees who challenged her management style.