By this date eight years ago, the then-new U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, Patrick Meehan, had been on the job almost four months, after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate in September 2001.
Now, almost a year into President Obama's term, there is not even a nominee for the post. And the appointment of a new U.S. attorney, which is considered a plum assignment, is not believed to be imminent, sources familiar with the process say.
Some blame the ambling pace on unusual political circumstances.
Traditionally, the state's senior senator of the president's party, in this case Sen. Bob Casey, makes a recommendation to the White House. However, when longtime Republican Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties last April and became a Democrat, that complicated the selection process, sources said.
Sources said that Casey and Specter could not agree on a single candidate to recommend to Obama, who makes the formal nomination.
An initial screening process last summer produced a list of 20 names for U.S. attorney here.
With Casey and Specter unable to settle on one, several names were jointly submitted to the White House last month, sources said.
A source with knowledge of the matter declined to say how many names were submitted or to identify them.
Among those thought to be on a short list, sources said, are Cheryl A. Krause, a partner at Dechert LLP; James J. Eisenhower, a partner at Schnader Harrison Segal and Lewis LLP; and J. Huntley Palmer of JP Morgan Chase & Co. All were once federal prosecutors here.
Krause, Eisenhower and Palmer declined to comment for this story.
Justice Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz would neither confirm nor deny whether the Justice Department had received any names from the White House or begun vetting any candidates.
Larry Smar, a spokesman for Casey, said, "As of right now, I don't have a sense of when a nomination will be made."
A spokeswoman for Specter declined to comment.
The U.S. attorney here - one of 93 in the country - brings criminal and civil actions on behalf of the federal government in the nine-county area of southeastern Pennsylvania.
The office has prosecuted a number of high-profile public-corruption cases in recent years, including that of former state Sen. Vince Fumo and former City Councilman Rick Mariano.
