Bush Recess Appoints Three New Federal Election Commissioners

[G_j]

mmm...

Robert D. Lenhard, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

Steven T. Walther, of Nevada, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

Hans Von Spakovsky, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission.

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a bit on Hans Von Spakovsky:

www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051217/news_1n17fec.html

WASHINGTON – In a move that inflamed minority activists and Democrats, President Bush yesterday named a Justice Department lawyer who played a pivotal role in the Texas redistricting fight to the Federal Election Commission.

Hans von Spakovsky was one of the political appointees involved in approving the Texas congressional redistricting plan. A memo leaked two weeks ago showed that decision came despite unanimous objections from career lawyers in the civil rights division who found the Texas remap violated minority rights.

"People who do the political dirty work of this administration get promoted," said Rolando Rios, regional counsel for the League of United Latin American Citizens, which intends to try to block his Senate confirmation. "We're very concerned when you appoint somebody to the FEC who has absolutely no sensitivity to the voting rights of minorities. . . . That's outrageous."

<snip>
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Robert D. Lenhard

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Robert_D._Lenhard

From SourceWatch

Robert D. Lenhard, of Maryland, was appointed (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060104-3.html) January 4, 2006, in a recess appointment by President George W. Bush to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission. Lenhard replaces Danny Lee McDonald, whose term has expired.

When Lenhard was nominated (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051216-12.html) December 16, 2005, by President Bush, he was serving 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." <1> (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051216-4.html)

Lenhard "was part of a legal team that challenged the constitutionality of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law." <2> (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601717_pf.html)

"As a lawyer, Lenhard wasn't able to overturn McCain-Feingold before it took effect, but, as an FEC commissioner, he'll be able to do the next best thing and try to gut it," Arianna Huffington wrote (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/heck-of-a-job-viveca_b_12504.html) December 18, 2005. "But that's not why I'm obsessing (if I got worked up every time Bush picked a fox to guard a government henhouse, I'd never get anything done!). No, the thing that has my mental wheels in overdrive is the fact that Lenhard is the husband of Viveca Novak -- the Time Magazine journalist whose loose lips may end up saving Karl Rove from joining Scooter Libby on Indictment Row."

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Steven T. Walther
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Steven_T._Walther

From SourceWatch
Steven T. Walther, of Nevada, was appointed (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060104-3.html) January 4, 2006, by President George W. Bush in a recess appointment to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission. Walther replaced Scott E. Thomas, whose term expired.

At the time of his appointment (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051216-12.html) to the FEC by President Bush on December 15, 2005, Walther was 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." <1> (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051216-4.html)
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Bush Picks Controversial Nominees for FEC

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601717.html

By Thomas B. Edsall and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 17, 2005; Page 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.

<snip>

[AndyTiedye]

1. What Part of "THE FIX IS IN" Don't You Understand?

[peanutbrittle]

2. I need a stiff cocktail followed by an induced coma

Wake me up when the nightmare is over

[gizmo1979]

3. King george strikes again.

Can no one stop this menace?

[Double T]

4. The new election commissioners nick names are...........

hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil. Now we can be assured of fair and honest elections.

[linazelle]

5. What's a recess appointment?

:shrug: I don't know. I'm SERIES11!!

[G_j]

6. an appointment made

while Congress is on recess.
Example, after tough questioning, John Bolton was appointed US ambassador to the UN while Congress was on recess.

[linazelle]

7. Thanks for the explanation. The recess appointments are made

so that Bush won't have to answer to Congress, huh? If he can appoint them during recess, what's the point of going through Congress at all?

[G_j]

8. good question

and why bother with laws if Bush can break them?

Did you see that Bush made what is called a "signing order" allowing him to order torture even after the McCain agreement?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x48501

[linazelle]

9. Yep, I saw that. Either he makes laws or pretends he doesn't

understand them--always to his benefit.

[Wilms]

10. kick

[alarimer]

11. Just in time for them to steal the 2006 elections

Can this gy be any more brazen in his quest to get and hold power. I hate him. I really, really hate this bastard.