Two names to add, three to subtract from the list of potential U.S. Attorneys

Last Friday, PolitickerOR.com published a list of eight Oregon lawyers who were possible choices to be the state's next U.S. attorney. This Friday one candidate has removed his name, and two candidates have come onto PolitickerOR.com's radar screen.

Pete Shepherd: The current deputy attorney general is a name that should be considered to replace current U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut when Presidential-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. Shepherd is currently the number two man at the Oregon Department of Justice under outgoing Attorney General Hardey Myers. He has been with the Oregon DOJ since 2001, where he has been the top legal manager. Before that, he worked as deputy district attorney in Marion County. He graduated from Oregon University School of Law.

Shepherd is being succeeded by Mary Williams, who was appointed to the deputy attorney general position by Attorney General-elect John Kroger shortly after the election.

Dwight Holton: Another name to add to the list is assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton. Holton is also a visiting assistant professor at the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College and formerly worked in the Clinton White House. He graduated from the University of Virginia Law School. Bonus points: He is Virginia governor Tim Kaine's brother-in-law.

The addition of Shepherd and Holton to the list brings Oregon's potential U.S. attorney candidates to seven.

On Tuesday Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis said he was "interested" in the position.

Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote said that, while he was not actively pursuing the appointment, he would be "flattered," if he received a phone call from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden's office in regards to the U.S. attorney job.

Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said he had not received any calls but expressed interest in the position on Thursday.

Portland lawyer Michal Simon, who heads the litigation department at Perkins Cole, has been on several insiders' list as a potential nominee, but he did not return PolitickerOR.com's calls to say if he was interested in the position.

One name previously rumored to be on the U.S. attorney shortlist is Portland-based lawyer Roy Pulvers. On Monday Pulvers told PolitickerOR.com that he was very "happy" in his current position and not interested in pursuing an opportunity in the Justice Department.

Two others, Deschutes County District Attorney Mike Dugan and Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb also said they were happy where they were, but they were hoping that Marquis would be picked for the job.

Who are we missing? Who shouldn't be on the list? Send your tips to brit.chase@politickerOR.com.