Insofar as opposition is starting to crop up to the Eric Holder AG nomination, it's being centered around Holder's role in the controversial Marc Rich pardon in the waning days of the Clinton administration. The fact that Holder is liberal, by itself, is not disqualifying -- Barack Obama, rumor has it, is liberal (if not "THE MOST MARXIST/FASCIST SENATOR EVER!"). The National Review brings up the pardon in its editorial opposition to Holder, citing a Congressional report labeling his participation "unconscionable". What they don't tell you, but McCain supporter Orin Kerr does, is that the report was released by Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), a rabid Clinton hater famous for not just insisting that Vince Foster was murdered, but actually "re-enacting" the event by shooting a pumpkin in his backyard.
I, too, came across Rep. Burton when I attended Congressional hearings regarding formaldehyde contamination in FEMA trailers. To pass the time, I gave grades to the various committee members. Burton came in dead last, with a D+, since his entire contribution was assuring the rest of the committee that he knew the CEO's of the corporations in questions and was confident they would never hurt a fly. If only Mr. Holder knew that all this nastiness could have been staved off with a cocktail party, we might all be better off.
You can take a look at Rep. Burton's wikipedia page, if you'd like. He's got all manner of crazy in his closet.
Ooh, now I know what to be for Halloween next year if my husband still refuses to do the New Yorker cover of the Obamas: I can be the pumpkinhead and he can be Dan Burton (carrying a little hanged doll to represent Dan Burton Jr. receiving the death penalty that Rep. Burton said all drug dealers deserve).
ReplyDeleteI think the favorite thing I've seen about him came from a TIME profile: "Dan Burton is so afraid of catching AIDS that he brings his own scissors to the House barbershop and refuses to eat soup at public restaurants."
Why soup particularly?
Your husband's a killjoy.
ReplyDeleteWell, he's a tall skinny white boy, and I think he was afraid New Yorkers would smell the Republican on him and not believe that the costumes were ironically intended.
ReplyDeleteA more persuasive negative take on Holder's place in Rich's pardon -- Lardner, unlike Burton, appears to be non-partisan in his criticism.
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