President George W. Bush on Thursday promoted three Department of Justice officials to top posts while bringing two outsiders to fill jobs that have been vacant for several months.
Bush nominated Gregory Katsas, the current acting associate attorney general in the department’s No. 3 position, to head the Civil Division — a position vacated by the departing Peter Keisler. Until Attorney General Michael Mukasey’s arrival a few days ago, Keisler also was acting attorney general. Katsas had taken over in August for William Mercer, who returned to his former post as U.S. Attorney in Montana.
