The top federal prosecutor in Louisville has been recused from an ongoing investigation into the secret taping of a private campaign recording between Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and his aides earlier this year.
U.S. Attorney David Hale says was recused from the case by the Justice Department after his name had been mentioned publicly as a possible contender for a federal judgeship. McConnell has a vote on judicial nominations. Political activist Curtis Morrison admitted in a first-person account posted on Salon.com that he recorded a campaign meeting involving McConnell and several aides earlier this year. On the recording, McConnell and his aides talked about opposition research into potential Democratic challengers, including actress Ashley Judd, a former Kentucky resident who later decided to skip the race.
An FBI investigation is ongoing.