Local Minnesota media have devoted thousands of words to alleged "turmoil" in the United States Attorney's office for Minnesota under my friend Rachel Paulose, mostly based on the self-demotion of three supervisory attorneys who have returned to work on the line. Office turnover has nevertheless been essentially nil, KSTP Eyewitness News to the contrary notwithstanding, with the resignation of only three attorneys in the year-plus that Paulose has been on the job; two of the three had other positions lined up at the time she was appointed to the position. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has devoted thousands of words to the office under Paulose.

Today the St. Paul Pioneer Press takes a look at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General under newly elected attorney general Lori Swanson, a liberal Democrat who took office in January of this year:

Minnesota's top law office is undergoing a major shake-up, as at least 25 employees have left the attorney general's office since January, including the departure of two top deputies this month.

Those employees have departed since Attorney General Lori Swanson took office in January. This month, Kristine Eiden, former chief deputy attorney general, and Mike Vanselow, former deputy attorney general, left for what they have described as personal reasons.

But one assistant attorney general said she was fired last week shortly after helping the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5 pass out membership cards to unionize the office's stable of some 170 attorneys. She and her attorney have threatened to sue the attorney general's office for unfair labor practices, she said.

"I've never seen morale lower," said one employee who asked not to be named. "The place feels like a morgue.

There is much more to the story, which provides a striking contrast with the extensive coverage to date searching frantically for a story regarding Rachel Paulose. You have to wonder how the Swanson story escaped the attention of the reporters and columnists at the Star Tribune (gossip columnist C.J. excepted), if not at KSTP.

UPDATE: The Minneapolis Star Tribune is now on the story.

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