( January 31, 2013) -- After persevering through the twists, turns and seeming interminable confirmation process in the U.S. Senate, William J. Baer finally was confirmed by a 64-26 vote on December 30 to be assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s antitrust division. He was sworn in to his new post on January 3. Baer had been nominated for the top antitrust position in February, but had to wait more than five months before the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his nomination and then nearly two more months before the committee voted him out (by a 12-5 margin) and then more than three more months for the Senate to confirm him....