Changing of the Guard

The opening weeks and months of the Obama presidency will allow for a wide array of federal appointments, including a number in West Virginia.

The new president will have the power to pick a new U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal for each of the state's two federal court districts. The northern district also has a judicial vacancy.

The Charleston Daily Mail offers possible names in play for some of these appointments.

Northern District: Bill Ihlenfeld Jr., Arch Riley Jr., Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parr, Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Smith, and former Randolph County prosecutor Earl Maxwell for U.S. Attorney; former federal law enforcement coordinator George Fahey, now-former Ohio County sheriff and ex-FBI agent Tom Burgoyne and retired state trooper Joe Trupo for U.S. Marshal.

Southern District: Assistant U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin and Dwane Tinsley, a former federal prosecutor, for U.S. Attorney; Deputy U.S. Marshal John Foster, state Human Rights Commissioner and former police officer Ivin Lee, and former state Sen. Billy Wayne Bailey, D-Wyoming, for U.S. Marshal.