Last Sunday, the Washington Post took a look at how recently departed Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson ignored the mortgage crisis. Today the New York Times’ Rachel Swarns examines the other key component of Jackson’s dubious legacy—millions in housing contracts to his friends.

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The Washington Post’s Josh White reports on a fishy $50 million contract given to Strategic Message Solutions. The company had “barely existed” in 2005, but the contract was given that year “to reward a recently retired four-star general and a millionaire civilian pilot who had ...

In a move that mocked career civil servants, decades of efforts to help developing countries stem population growth and the presidential appointments process itself,  President Bush in early 2006 granted a recess appointment to former Maryland state delegate and twice unsuccessful candidate for governor, Ellen Sauerbrey.  Sauerbrey, who ran Bush's ...

Web Posted: 11/01/2005 12:00 AM CST

San Antonio Express-News

In the wake of the disaster of Michael Brown as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, another nominee to high-level government position is justifiably drawing fire as a potential "crony" appointment.

She is Ellen Sauerbrey, nominated to be undersecretary ...

For the latest news from a variety of sources, I use Google News as my homepage ......For links to 1652 stories, so far, on Miers' resignation, see news.google.com. Before we mourn the demise of  cronyism, let's wait and see who Bush nominates next.  Odds anyone? 

Re: Re: Re: Julie Myers -- very interesting by Anonymous on 2005.10.13 07:00PM EDT  |  IP:   They used to transfer people to the border, but there's no money for that now.

Re: Re: Julie Myers -- very interesting by Anonymous on 2005.10.13 06:58PM EDT  |  IP: I can only tell you my own experience. In my office, you have to be in the right clique to even be allowed to do your jub. It doesn't matter if you have a strong knowledge of a particular ...

An anonymous poster on ICE (see below).  We'd love to hear more:  I keep hearing agency is a mess.  Can readers give us explanation from inside? I think the law requires the head of Immigration & Customs Enforcement to have 5 years law enforcement experience, which I know that Ms. Myers doesn't, and ...

Re: Cronyism: Questions About Julie Myers by Anonymous on 2005.10.08 01:56PM EDT  | I read the same thing. I think the law requires the head of Immigration & Customs Enforcement to have 5 years law enforcement experience, which I know that Ms. Myers doesn't, and 5 years management experience. I think she has ...

Re: Cronyism: Julie Myers at ICE by Anonymous on 2005.10.09 03:50PM EDT  |   The singular qualification necessary for appointment to a senior level position is loyalty to GW. Career/professional experience is irrelevant. Ms. Myers mission will not be to support the employees of ICE, or even the enforcement of customs and immigration laws. Her mission ...