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Orin Kerr, September 25, 2005 at 1:39pm The Julie Myers Nomination, And Its Critics:
In the last week, Michelle Malkin, Red State, the National Review, and many other conservative blogs and bloggers have harshly criticized the nomination of Julie L. Myers to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (aka ICE). The basic theme of the criticism is that Myers is a political crony: she’s only 36, she’s the niece of the outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and her husband is Michael Chertoff’s chief of staff. Someone who has used her connections to get such a important job shouldn’t be confirmed, the thinking goes.
Read it all at : Volokh Conspiracy
Now read the comments:
The problem with cronyism in the Bush context isn’t what he may be doing for her but what she may do in return. This administration is famous for its code of silence and strict loyalty demands. This choice suggests loyalty is the priority in hiring and that with this selection we’re watching the obstruction of transparency and the defense against whistle-blowing in action.
9.25.2005 9:34pm
(link)John Jenkins (mail):
Just as an aside, are there any administrations notorious for their disloyalty and publicly airing their dirty laundry, or is this just another one of those things that the adherents to the out-of-power party always pull out while out of power?
Isn’t loyalty something to be cultivated and rewarded?
9.25.2005 9:43pm
(link)cfw (mail):
I would also note, in support of turning to an outsider, that the INS under DOJ had a pretty shady reputation as of 1993 or so, at least in LA. Also, the immigration folks did not cover themselves with glory in events that led up to 9/11. So outside blood may have made sense.
(link)JB:
I just wanted to mention that all of those integral positions she held at DHS, Commerce, and the White House have been in the last 4 and a half years. Meaning, on average, she’s spent about 18 months in these three highly important positions. Now, it could be that she was so brilliant in each of these positions that she was repeatedly pushed up the ladder. What seems more likely is that this very politically connected person was hop-scotching from one opportunity to another to build her rolodex.
9.26.2005 1:30pm
(link)Annon:
I know her, I worked with her as a Fed Prosecutor, We both worked on low-level cases (drug mules) together, then she left to go to D.C., her Federal prosecution experience is next to nothing (maybe 2yrs at most), She is only qualified if you believe (like I do) that these jobs amount to nothing anyway.
9.30.2005 5:40pm
Ms. Myers is the person taht I spoke with when i was held in jail, I asked for her help with this disaster. Two months later a warrant for my arrest was created adn backdated and served upon my attorney. He said it was dirty, but there wasnt much we could do. Now a visa has been issued for me to go home, but Embassy has decided they must ‘check with washington’ – WHO IN WASHINGTON? Im just a housewife, who worked in a bank, but I didnt die in custody so I fight on.