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Baucus Defends Galpal Nomination

In this undated photo, Melodee Hanes, a former deputy county attorney for Yellowstone County, Mont., poses for a photo after announcing she was leaving her job to join Sen. Max Baucus' re-election campaign in March 2002. Baucus defended recommending his girlfriend for appointment as Montana's U.S. attorney, saying Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, his one-time staff member and the former state prosecutor is
By D.F. Oliveria daveo@spokesman.com(509) 319-0354
In this undated photo, Melodee Hanes, a former deputy county attorney for Yellowstone County, Mont., poses for a photo after announcing she was leaving her job to join Sen. Max Baucus' re-election campaign in March 2002. Baucus defended recommending his girlfriend for appointment as Montana's U.S. attorney, saying Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, his one-time staff member and the former state prosecutor is
In this undated photo, Melodee Hanes, a former deputy county attorney for Yellowstone County, Mont., poses for a photo after announcing she was leaving her job to join Sen. Max Baucus' re-election campaign in March 2002. Baucus defended recommending his girlfriend for appointment as Montana's U.S. attorney, saying Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, his one-time staff member and the former state prosecutor is "highly qualified" but eventually withdrew her nomination. (Bob Zellar / Billings Gazette)

In this undated photo, Melodee Hanes, a former deputy county attorney for Yellowstone County, Mont., poses for a photo after announcing she was leaving her job to join Sen. Max Baucus’ re-election campaign in March 2002. Baucus defended recommending his girlfriend for appointment as Montana’s U.S. attorney, saying Saturday his one-time staff member and the former state prosecutor is “highly qualified” but eventually withdrew her nomination. Story here . (AP Photo/Billings Gazette, Bob Zellar)

Question: Is this a serious enough lapse in judgment by Sen. Baucus to warrant an ethics investigation?

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Huckleberries Online." Read all stories from this blog