In Politics Its Your Friends Who Hurt You, Not Your Enemies

The Washington Post is running an article today, (4.1.2007), about how Senator Domenici has been caught up in the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesais. The article points out that Representative Heather Wilson, NM-R, was the first Republican that Domenici ever endorsed in a primary. She was being groomed to succeed Domenici when he retired. His chief of staff was heavily involved in running her early campaigns. Now, both of them are facing possible investigations into their ethics and Domenici has to worry about being re-elected in 2008.

All of this points out that who usually gets politicians in trouble isn't their enemies, its their friends. Almost every major political scandal is caused by some politician doing some person they know, a relative, friend, political backer, contributor, whatever, a favor that they shouldn't be doing. Here was Domenici, well respected and known in New Mexico as "St. Pete" among politicos, gliding along the pathway of political life when he decides to do a favor for Heather Wilson. Bam! All of a sudden he finds himself in political trouble. All because he decided to muscle a U.S. Attorney, and then get him fired, because the U.S. Attorney didn't use the justice system to help his protege in a close election.

The article also points out how arrogant Republicans have become under George W. Bush. The article contains this quote: "Bell denied that the senator pressured Iglesias to boost the reelection bid of Wilson, who spent more than $4.7 million and ultimately won by 861 votes out of more than 211,000 ballots cast. Bell called the allegations "stupid." Note that he doesn't explain why it is "stupid". It's like all he has to do is pronounce something "stupid" and that answers everything. That's called arrogance, friends, and it is a common trait among Republicans.

It remains to be seen if this will cost either or both Domenici and Wilson their jobs. Clearly, since she only won by 861 votes, Wilson was going to get a tough opponent in 2008. She was going to be at the top of any Democratic hit list. Domenici, though, was expected to win re-election relatively easy. Now, though, it is looking as if he will get a much tougher opponent. All because he did a friend a favor he shouldn't have done.
___________________________________________________________________
Click on the link in this entry's title to read the Washington Post article.

Two New Mexico Republicans Involved in U.S. Attorney's Firing

As the link in this entry's title to a Washington Post article shows, two New Mexico Republicans are implicated in the firing of the U.S. Attorney in that state on December 7th. They are that state's Republican Senator Pete Domenici and Congressperson Heather Wilson.

Both of them are running the same defense which is basically "yes I called him, but I didn't pressure him." Of course that defense ignores political reality. If you are a politically appointed U.S. Attorney, and you receive a call about an ongoing public corruption case from two prominent Republicans, the mere fact that the call is made is political pressure. Given the context of the calls the pressure was about as subtle as the head of a horse on the U.S. Attorney's bed.

The facts are that Heather Wilson, who is regarded as the political heiress to Pete Domenci's Senate Seat in 2014, was in a very tight race in a district that Gore carried in 2000 and Kerry in 2004. She needed something to take the heat off of her and put it on the Democrats. She had an interest in seeing that a New Mexico Democrat was indicted before the election. Domenici had an interest in seeing that his political ally got elected. Both of them screwed up and are now paying the price.

The irony may be that the lack of oversight during the first six years of the Bush Administration by Congressional Republicans may have contributed to their behavior. When one party controls everything that party's members begin to think that the rules don't apply to them. In such an environment even otherwise ethical politicians do stupid things. Pete Domenici risking his political reputation by making a phone call to help a friend qualifies as one of those stupid things.