CHEYENNE -- Wyoming's Democratic Governor, Dave Freudenthal, will need a new attorney general by Labor Day. He's promised one by next week.

His last appointee, Pat Crank, said yesterday he was leaving effective Sept. 1 after 20 years in public service. Crank will start work at a Cheyenne law firm Speight McCue & Associates the next day.

The firm's partner and co-founder, Jack Speight, was state chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party during the 1970s, the AP noted. The small "boutique" firm mainly does litigation work and focuses in the government and legislative sectors.

Freudenthal appointed Crank, a Casper native, attorney general in 2002 after a successful 12-year stint as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Wyoming District beginning in 1990. He began his career in the Wyoming Attorney General's office in 1985.

"Attorney General Crank has been a forceful, tenacious and ethical advocate for our state and our citizens," Freudenthal told the AP. "I will miss Pat's energy, enthusiasm and counsel."

Crank was popular and respected across the Wyoming political spectrum. "He's been a tremendous asset to the state of Wyoming in his efforts to assist members of the Legislature," Republican House Speaker and fellow Casperite Roy Cohee told the AP.

Unlike his counterparts in surrounding states, Crank took a very low profile approach to his role as state attorney general. AG dealings were rarely revealed to the media and Crank's office recently went 17 months without putting out a press release.

Crank was paid $132,000 in annual salary as Wyoming Attorney General, the AP reported.