It looks as though the Senate is finally stirring to life, realizing that their role in approving the President’s appointees means more than breaking out the rubber stamp. Consider the case of young Julie Myers, Bush’s pick to run the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency:
Concerns over Myers, 36, were acute enough at a Senate hearing last week that lawmakers asked the nominee to detail during her testimony her postings and to account for her management experience. Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) went so far as to tell Myers that her resume indicates she is not qualified for the job.
Voinovich has pulled this sort of thing before, but not to worrry - we’re not witnessing a sudden burst of conscience or integrity. Once he gets what he wants, whatever that is, he’ll probably be back on the reservation.
But Voinovich has since met with Myers and is now likely to support her, his spokeswoman said yesterday.
That was quick.
So what ARE her qualifications?
After working as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, N.Y., for two years, Myers held a variety of jobs over the past four years at the White House and at the departments of Commerce, Justice and Treasury, though none involved managing a large bureaucracy. Myers worked briefly as chief of staff to Michael Chertoff when he led the Justice Department’s criminal division before he became Homeland Security secretary.
OK. And?
Myers also was an associate under independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr for about 16 months and has most recently served as a special assistant to President Bush handling personnel issues.
Is that all?
Her uncle is Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, the departing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She married Chertoff’s current chief of staff, John F. Wood, on Saturday.
Ah, of course. Now it’s all clear.
To put it bluntly, whoever put her name forward for this position is insane. The immigration service is not only a critical one, it’s also the area of Homeland Security that affects real people on a day-to-day basis. A 36-year old who has no background in immigration law, which is complicated and arcane, need not apply, not even one with a big shot uncle and a direct connection to the DHS chief.
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And so it begins