Lazy Gopher Pachyderm

He just keeps digging deeper...

Minnesota Republicans’ own wind-tossed strand of boiled linguini, U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, abandoned Rachel Paulose, his successful nominee for the U.S. attorney’s office in St. Paul. Bowing to unsubstantiated, even false media speculation, Coleman pulled his support, which I'm guessing is what likely led to the end of her local tenure. How successful was her short time in office? Listen to St. Paul Chief of Police (and Dartmouth alum) John Harrington:

“Rachel Paulose has been the most aggressive U.S. Attorney that I have ever worked with and the most successful. Working with her has made the city of St. Paul a safer place. If you have any doubts, just ask the Latin Kings gang that terrorized an entire neighborhood with guns and drugs and murder. They are easy to find, since they are all doing time in federal custody. Or ask the kids at McDonough Recreational Center, where Rachel taught about Internet safety. Or better yet, ask the predators whom she put in prison, keeping them from being able to hurt children ever again."

And let’s not forget her highly successful breaking of a human trafficking ring (which, ironically, was one reason for her lack of support among Justice Department careerists in D.C.).

So what was she guilty of? Charges boil down to mishandling of classified information, mismanagement of the office, following D.C. directions on caseloads rather than local subordinates, and an anonymous charge of making a racist comment. Scott Johnson of Powerline deals the body blow to all the charges here.

But the local media wanted their own ‘lynch the GOP Federal Attorney’ trophy and they got it. KSTP 5 makes a hash of the issue. Its lead story on the 6pm news tonight can be seen here. Watch it after reading Scott Johnson’s article linked above and you’ll see how empty and self-serving the story is: it presents no case against Paulose, only unsupported charges. They claim she never responded. Wrong.

All of which had the principle-free Coleman scampering away with his tail between his legs.

So why is she gone? Scott Johnson sums up all the reasons left standing…

Let's see. She's a Republican. (The position of United States Attorney is a political appointmet.) She was appointed to the position by the Bush administration. (No one other than the president and the Attorney General had the legal authority to make the appointment.) She knew Monica Goodling. (Liberals used to oppose guilty by association.) And former United States Attorney Tom Heffelfinger might have been fired if he had not resigned when he did. I understand completely.

Paulose seems to understand as well:

"The McCarthyite hysteria that permits the anonymous smearing of any public servant who is now, or ever may have been, a member of the Federalist Society; a person of faith; and/or a conservative (especially a young, conservative woman of color) is truly a disservice to our country."

More here, here, here, and here.

No Waco, no Ruby Ridge, no Elian Gonzales. Yup. I understand, too.

Thanks again, Norm. You’re a peach…

# posted by Ricard : 6:00 PM