Letters to the Editor
Pedinska
Published Letters: 2012
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Last post on BGR personnel (I promise)
[Read the article: More on Zelikow, the BGR firm and Allawi]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Instead of individual posts, I'll try to be more succinct and paraphrase with a few quotes for emphasis...
Jennifer A. Larkin Principal - http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=17314028
Appears to be the house resident on all things health-care related. Here's the money quote (literally):
For three years Larkin has been working to protect the right of physicians to financially align with hospital management in order to deliver higher quality care to the patients they serve.
Larkin's skills were utilized when she joined The Heritage Foundation as the director of U.S. House Relations. In this role she worked closely with a broad range of House members and staff, particularly the House Republican Leadership, to win support for Heritage's policy initiatives on taxes, health care, Social Security, education and missile defense.
Dan Murphy Principal - http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=56850573&QueryID=95bd21af-1161-4f35-90d5-e2ae6d22ff08
He served as chief of staff to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Mel Martinez. In that position he managed political appointees and senior-level government aides...
He previously served in the White House as an aide in the Office of Vice President.
Nuff said.
Andrew Parasiliti, Ph.D. Vice President, Barbour Griffith & Rogers International - http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=7434610&QueryID=0ca5de95-d3dc-4705-a0ff-8de4e9a98901
From 1999-2001, Dr. Parasiliti was director of the Middle East Initiative at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. His responsibilities included the intellectual development and management of executive programs for business and government leaders in Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and India.
Dr. Parasiliti is considered one of the top American experts on Iraq, Iran, the Middle East, and South Asia. He has been a frequent contributor to scholarly publications and conferences, TV news programs and the press about developments in Iraq and the Persian Gulf.
It would be interesting to see how many of these contributions came after he became employed by BG&R....maybe Zelikow's just living up to employer expectations?
Stephen Rademaker, former Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, has been a big fan of the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) and an agitator for action against Iran.
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/544/oh-steve-rademaker
Bill Viney Director of Legislative Affairs - http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=538043790&QueryID=21b8845e-e095-4b0f-89b3-5f9f41cd3d23
As an expert in identifying and building support for projects that need federal funding...
Maybe he helped find the $300,000?
Viney has to ensure the requests he makes on behalf of clients are as strong as possible. "First, we help clients understand they must highlight the reasons why their issue rises to one of a national concern and also is of concern to the members championing the request.
Guess that just about nails that.....and this just makes me want to vomit...
...originally from Illinois, is a Big 10 football and basketball fan, as one might expect. "Big 10 sports is legendary for its commitment to being number one by building the best teams possible." They are lessons he is now passing on to his newborn son, whom Viney hopes will pick up on his love of the game and the joy of backing a winning team.
I think I'll end on that note. I'm too nauseous to dig around in these folks' shitpile any longer.
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Security clearances and lobbyists
[Read the article: More on Zelikow, the BGR firm and Allawi]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"The State Department continues to hold security clearances for me."
Can anyone out there shed some light on the status of maintaining security clearances for folks who are no longer gov't employees? Since when does K Street get access to such clearances?
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@ Anonymous wrt security clearances
[Read the article: More on Zelikow, the BGR firm and Allawi]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]All sorts of people who are not current government employees have security clearances: contractors, consultants, former employees, military reservists, scholars, employees of companies with particular kinds of government contracts, &c.
Yeah, I kind of realized my gaffe as soon as I pushed the 'publish' button. Thanks though for the info. I just get my knickers in a twist when these folks use those kinds of things in ways which seem to me to be illegitimate. Obviously it's not something I understand very well.
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"Do as I say, not as I do..."
[Read the article: The Democrats' responsibility in the wake of Gonzales' resignation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, are filibusters good or bad?
If it's appropriate for Democrats to filibuster Republican AG candidates, then it's appropriate for Republicans to do the same to judicial and exec branch nominees should a Democrat be elected in 08...-- cestmoi123
The Republicans have already been "filiblustering" their asses off under the table by holding legislation hostage since they became the minority. In fact, they tried to suggest changing the rules wholesale to require a 60 vote majority in the Senate to even pass legislation. Funny how that never came up when the Dems were in the minority. The Dems should have called them on that particular bluster immediately every time they raised it.
Glenn is correct that the Democrats will be responsible if the new AG turns out to be as damaging to the Constitution as Gonzalez. We need to hold them to account and they need to use whatever tactics are available to ensure we return our country to the rule of law.