(Mayor Bloomberg's) Companion Suggests 'Machinations' Cost Her a Job

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Mayor's Companion Suggests 'Machinations' Cost Her a Job
By DIANE CARDWELL
Published: February 3, 2006


Diana L. Taylor, the New York State banking superintendent — and the companion of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg — spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about her aborted nomination to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, saying she was mystified about why she was passed over.

Speaking at a meeting of the State Banking Board, Ms. Taylor implied that political considerations may have killed her nomination.

"You know as much as I do," she told board members about why she did not get the post, "whether you think it was the N.R.A. or the tobacco lobby or some cabal."

Until recent days, it was a given in Washington and on Wall Street that Ms. Taylor would be the White House choice to replace Donald E. Powell, who is coordinating federal rebuilding efforts on the Gulf Coast....

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Some suggested that the reason was pressure from the National Rifle Association, which denied any role, and the tobacco lobby, two interests with reason to be unhappy with Mr. Bloomberg. In his first term, the mayor pushed through stringent anti-smoking measures, and recently he has singled out the N.R.A. for criticism as he has called for tougher national laws on guns....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/03/nyregion/03diana.html