Oh For Heaven's Sake
The administration's announced new nominees for the FEC. Among them is one Robert D. Lenhard, a Democrat who was instrumental in the opposition to McCain-Feingold.
And, oh, yeah, he's also Viveca Novak's husband. Whose testimony is the basis for Karl Rove's defense. Isn't there some law against interfering in an ongoing judicial process in this way?
That's not to say that the other nominees are less odious. David Blue has some background on another of these sterling characters:
His ideas led to the notorious purge of Florida's voting rolls before the 2000 election in which thousands of mostly-eligible, mostly-Democratic, and mostly-minority voters were removed from the voting lists. Von Spakovsky also was a volunteer for Bush in the Florida recount. Want more? It's all here.
Remember when we could turn to the Washington Post to learn things like this? Anyone?
And, oh, yeah, he's also Viveca Novak's husband. Whose testimony is the basis for Karl Rove's defense. Isn't there some law against interfering in an ongoing judicial process in this way?
That's not to say that the other nominees are less odious. David Blue has some background on another of these sterling characters:
His ideas led to the notorious purge of Florida's voting rolls before the 2000 election in which thousands of mostly-eligible, mostly-Democratic, and mostly-minority voters were removed from the voting lists. Von Spakovsky also was a volunteer for Bush in the Florida recount. Want more? It's all here.
Remember when we could turn to the Washington Post to learn things like this? Anyone?
Tags: Corruption, Cronyism
posted by Management at 5:00 PM
3 Comments:
Bush to nominate voter suppression specialist to the FEC
by david blue
Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 07:21:48 AM PDT
[Cross-posted from Blue Mass. Group.]
A big hat tip to Rick Hasen who noticed this White House press release (buried in the Friday night trash). President Bush is going to nominate Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission.
Who?
Well, Hans von Spakovsky is a long-time activist in "voting integrity." Translated, he is a long-time activist in keeping people away from the polls. His ideas led to the notorious purge of Florida's voting rolls before the 2000 election in which thousands of mostly-eligible, mostly-Democratic, and mostly-minority voters were removed from the voting lists. Von Spakovsky also was a volunteer for Bush in the Florida recount. Want more? It's all here.
This guy is a disaster. There is no way he should be on the FEC. FEC Commissioners are subject to Senate approval, so write or call your Senator.
UPDATE: Several commenters have asked which Senate committee holds hearings on FEC nominees. It is the Committee on Rules and Administration. Chair is Trent Lott; ranking Dem is Christopher Dodd. Other Dems are Byrd, Inouye, Feinstein, Schumer, Dayton, Durbin, and Ben Nelson; other Republicans are Ted Stevens, Mitch McConnell, Thad Cochran, Santorum, K.B. Hutchison, Frist, Chambliss, Bennett, and Hagel. Some heavy hitters on both sides.
Bush Picks Controversial Nominees for FEC
By Thomas B. Edsall and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 17, 2005; A09
President Bush nominated two controversial lawyers to the Federal Election Commission yesterday: Hans von Spakovsky who helped Georgia win approval of a disputed voter-identification law, and Robert D. Lenhard, who was part of a legal team that challenged the constitutionality of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.
In addition, Bush proposed a second term for commissioner David M. Mason and nominated Steven T. Walther, a Nevada lawyer with close ties to Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).
Von Spakovsky and Mason are Republican appointees, while Lenhard and Walther are Democratic picks for the bipartisan six-member commission.
In a letter to Senate Rules Committee Chairman Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) wrote that he is "extremely troubled" by the von Spakovsky nomination. Kennedy contends that von Spakovsky "may be at the heart of the political interference that is undermining the [Justice] Department's enforcement of federal civil laws."
Career Justice Department lawyers involved in a Georgia case said von Spakovsky pushed strongly for approval of a state program requiring voters to have photo identification. A team of staff lawyers that examined the case recommended 4 to 1 that the Georgia plan should be rejected because it would harm black voters; the recommendation was overruled by von Spakovsky and other senior officials in the Civil Rights Division.
Before working in the Justice Department, von Spakovsky was the Republican Party chairman in Fulton County, Ga., and served on the board of the Voter Integrity Project, which advocated regular purging of voter roles to prevent felons from casting ballots.
In a brief telephone interview, von Spakovsky played down his role in policy decisions in the Civil Rights Division. "I'm just a career lawyer who works in the front office of civil rights," he said. He noted that the department has rules against career lawyers talking to reporters.
In a 1997 policy paper, von Spakovsky wrote, "Georgia should require all potential voters to present reliable photo identification at their polling location to help prevent impostors from voting."
Asked if it was a conflict for von Spakovsky to work on a case involving a Republican plan in his home state of Georgia, Justice spokesman Eric Holland said: "Many of the dedicated and professional attorneys in the Voting Rights Section have worked in advocacy roles involving voting issues prior to their arrival at the Justice Department. . . . Justice Department attorneys are always mindful of their responsibility to perform duties in ethical matters, including recusing themselves as necessary under standards of ethical and professional conduct."
The Lenhard nomination, first proposed in July 2003, has provoked strong opposition from advocacy groups seeking tough enforcement of campaign finance laws, especially the 2002 McCain-Feingold bill.
Meredith McGehee, president and executive director of the Alliance for Better Campaigns, described the prospect of Lenhard replacing Thomas as "beyond disappointing" when it was first proposed.
Reid issued a statement yesterday saying that he is "very pleased the president acted today upon my two recommendations for Commissioners on the Federal Election Commission," Walther and Lenhard.
Personnel Announcement
President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate four individuals to serve in his Administration:
The President intends to nominate Robert D. Lenhard, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring April 30, 2011. Mr. Lenhard currently serves as Associate General Counsel for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. He previously served as an Associate with Kirschner, Weinberg & Dempsey. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lenhard worked for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, AFL-CIO. He received his bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University and his JD from the University of California, Los Angeles.
The President intends to nominate David M. Mason, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring April 30, 2009. Mr. Mason currently serves as Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission. He previously served as a Senior Fellow in Congressional Studies at the Heritage Foundation. Prior to that, Mr. Mason was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. Earlier in his career, he served as a Legislative Assistant to Senator John Warner and Legislative Director to Representative Tom Bliley. Mr. Mason received his bachelor's degree from Claremont McKenna College.
The President intends to nominate Hans von Spakovsky, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring April 30, 2011. Mr. von Spakovsky currently serves as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. He previously served the Justice Department as a trial attorney for the Voting Reform Initiative. Prior to that, Mr. von Spakovsky served as a government affairs consultant. Earlier in his career, he was Assistant Vice President, Counsel and Secretary for Confederation Life Insurance Company in Rehabilitation. Mr. von Spakovsky received his bachelor's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his JD from Vanderbilt University.
The President intends to nominate Steven T. Walther, of Nevada, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring April 30, 2009. Mr. Walther is currently a Partner at Walther, Key, Maupin, Oats, Cox & LeGoy, a law firm he co-founded in 1972. Earlier in his career, he was an attorney at Jones Vargas. Mr. Walther received his bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and his JD from the University of California, Berkley.
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