Greetings. It’s David Lat, one of your two editors here at Wonkette. And just like Star Jones, another ex-prosecutor-turned-sassy-personality, I’m using this week to say good-bye — at least for now.

As is usually the case, the gossip is true. I’m leaving the wild ‘n wacky world of politics, which I’ve enjoyed blogging about for the past five months, to return to my first love: the law. Not the practice of it, but writing about it; I’m going back to the legal blogosphere, from whence I came. Having spent a truckload of dough earnin’ a fancy law school degree, as well as several years in legal practice, I figure I might as well put it all to some productive use (with “productive” loosely defined).

The full details, plus teary farewells, after the jump (or just click here, then scroll down).

I’m going to be developing a legal gossip blog for Elizabeth Spiers, Carter Burden, and Justin Smith, the trio behind the Wall Street blog DealBreaker. If you’re interested in learning more about this new project, check out my first blog, Underneath Their Robes, sometime next month. I expect to put up more details there as this next blawg takes shape.

No farewell would be complete without expressions of gratitude. At the risk of sounding high-school-yearbookish, I’d like to Nick Denton and Lockhart Steele, for the great privilege of blogging at Wonkette; Alex Pareene, for being a fantastic co-blogger; Ana Marie Cox and Chris Lehmann, for their insight and advice; Nick Mueller and Henry Seltzer, interns extraordinaire; Liz Gorman, Intrepid Girl Photographer; and the rest of the amazing crew at Gawker Media.

Finally, I’d like to thank all of the folks who have welcomed me to Washington and taught me the ways of this town, as well as all the tipsters who’ve sent great stuff our way. I’ll keep you anonymous, to keep you out of trouble; but please know that I’m tremendously grateful for everything.

Early wishes for a happy Fourth of July!

Memo Pad: Lat Pulled [WWD]
Lat Leaving Wonkette, Returning to the Law [WSJ Law Blog]
Media Bubble: People Like News, Especially When It’s Pretty [Gawker]
Spiers Spreads Her Wings [Jossip]

Earlier: Letter From the Editors: Politics Makes Strange Blogfellows
Letter from Ana: Blog Days

A week's worth of politics, Gawker Media Empire style:

• J-Lo's minions humiliate PETA activist Heather Mills. [Gawker]
• LA saved from blackout mayhem by "rescue specialist" Sean Penn. [Defamer]
• Bomb disposal truck apparently smarter than its drivers. [Gizmodo]
• New Orleans has always been about titties. Now make titties about New Orleans. [Fleshbot]
• The bright side of high fuel prices: Still cheaper than cigarettes. "Quit smoking and start huffing gas." [Jalopnik]
• Of course the new Jeep is called "The Patriot." Of course. [Jalopnik]
• When videogames are outlawed, only outlaws will have video games. [Kotaku]
• Screenhead points to "The Truth about PETA," W's " **** ," "Katrina: The Gathering," "Get Your War On does Hurricane Katrina," and "Recall George."
• We are apparently very lame. [Gawker]