Bush's Appointees: A Rogue's Gallery

Paul Wolfowitz, -- After using his position of former Deputy Secretary of Defense under Donald Rumsfeld, was pushing hard for the Iraq War to go forward in the fast lane. Later Bush appointed him head of the World Bank. He used his position to help arrange a large pay raise for his female companion. This incident has intensified calls for his resignation.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales - Fighting to hold onto his job amid a congressional investigation into his role in firing eight U.S. prosecutors. At a congressional hearing when asked specific questions he constantly replied, "I don't remember." But the TV audiences that watched this evasive cover-up response would remember what a tight-lipped clipped answer as he snapped, "I don't remember" like a tape recording that got stuck.
Roger Stillwell - Former Interior Department official, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor when he never reported tickets given to him by convicted lobbyist grafter Jack Abramoff.
Matteo Fontana - An official at the Department of Education whose task it was to oversee the student loan industry. Was put on leave when it was discovered that she owned $100,000 worth of stock in a student loan company.
Julie MacDonald - Had oversight responsibilities over the fish and game industries, but has no background in biology. Overrode recommendations of agency scientists about methods of endangered species protection. It was revealed that she improperly leaked information to private groups.
Philip Cooney - A former American petroleum industry lobbyist who became chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Admitted in congressional testimony early in 2007 that he changed 3 government reports to eliminate links between greenhouse gases and global warming. He left in 2005 to work for Exxon-Mobil.
Claude Allen - A former Bush domestic policy adviser who pled guilty to making phony returns at discount department stores while working at the White House. He got off with a couple years of suspended probation as well as a $500 fine.
Darleen Druyun - A former Air Force procurement officer who did not get off as lucky as Claude Allen. Druyun served 9 months in prison in 2005. She had violated federal conflict of interest rules in a deal to lease Boeing refueling tankers for $23 billion despite Pentagon studies showing the tankers were unnecessary. After making this deal Druyun quit the government and joined Boeing.
Robert W. Cobb - NASA's Inspector General is currently under investigation. The charges involve ignoring safety in the space program. An internal administration review said Cobb routinely tipped off department officials to internal investigations and quashed a report relating to the Columbia shuttle explosion to avoid embarrassing the agency. He remains on the job. Only Bush can fire him.
With this parade of horribles this question must be asked: How can one man appoint so many unethical individuals?
The answer is obvious!
This administration is a breeding ground for crooks.
KEYWORDS: Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, Roger Stillwell, Jack Abramoff
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