Common Sense Commentary: Appointing A Party Hack

As a professional talker, it’s not very often your Chairman finds himself struggling for words to express an opinion. But the main story in yesterday’s paper almost reduced me to silence. After prolonged delay, North Dakota finally has a new U.S. Attorney….and the controversial selection is making Democrats take aim inside a circular firing squad.
Story in the Fargo Forum yesterday tells us that Tim Purdon will replace Drew Wrigley as the new U.S. Attorney for North Dakota. The headline says it very well: North Dakota finally has US Attorney nominee. Sub-head: Democrat Party activist chosen.
Remember the shrieks from the left, condemning the Bush Administration for politicizing the Justice Department back in the Alberto Gonzales days? Fast forward to today. Here we have Tim Purdon…a sitting member of the Democratic National Committee…a criminal defense attorney (who by the way, has deliberated cases against the same office he’ll now lead) nominated as our top law official in North Dakota. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house.
But it gets better, folks—in addition to being a trial lawyer and big-time democratic fundraiser, Purdon also rubs elbows with the most disgraced figure in contemporary politics. That’s right, he’s a John Edwards confidant! I’m absolutely stunned. Has there ever been a sitting member of the upper echelon of a national political party nominated for a top law enforcement post? Another reason change is coming from ND! Looks like Purdon’s lifetime service to the Democrats—raising mega bucks for big government-loving tax- hiking liberals—is getting rewarded. Never mind the rule of law. Never mind other qualified, even historic candidates (Janice Morley would have been North Dakota’s first female US Attorney and only the second Native American to serve that office in our nation’s history) the Delegation has got their man. Let’s hope this nomination gets a much needed hearing to air this out. We need an explanation, and I’m sure the powers-at-be will offer their bogus, “purely non-political” reasoning soon. Until then, just sit back and enjoy the show.
That’s my opinion, what’s yours?
View Scott’s interview with former US Attorney Andrew McCarthy below. Scott’s previous commentary about the US Attorney debacle is worth reading as well, and check out what the LA Times had to say about this controversy.