WSJ: 'Guilt' by Association - Leahy: "Flanigan has a long history in the service of Republicans."

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 6, 2005 | Editorial (full text)

[OESY]

The Senate Judiciary Committee had long been scheduled to vote last week on the nomination of Timothy Flanigan to be Deputy Attorney General. But then Hurricane Katrina hit, Tom DeLay got indicted and Democrats maneuvered to get the vote postponed. What do Katrina and the former House Majority Leader have to do with the man slated to be No. 2 at the Justice Department? The answer: Democrats see an opportunity to use "ethics" as a political weapon.

Among Mr. Flanigan's qualifications to be Deputy AG are his experience as Deputy White House Counsel in President Bush's first term and his subsequent job as part of the clean-up team at the post-Kozlowski Tyco International. Two years ago Mr. Flanigan approved a move by Tyco's outside law firm to deploy Washington lobbyist and DeLay friend Jack Abramoff to fight a tax bill that would have hurt Tyco. Mr. Abramoff has now been indicted on another matter.

All this was explored at length in Mr. Flanigan's confirmation hearing in July. Then, last week, Judiciary Democrats demanded that Mr. Flanigan answer more questions, including on Tyco and Mr. Abramoff. Mr. Leahy also declared ominously that "Like Mike Brown and his two top subordinates at FEMA, Mr. Flanigan has a long history in the service of Republican administrations."

Well, yes, and the word for that is usually "experience." Mr. Flanigan isn't the first nominee to be subjected to attacks that have nothing to do with his qualifications or personal integrity. Let's hope Chairman Arlen Specter stops letting Mr. Leahy push him around and schedules a vote on Mr. Flanigan at the earliest possible date.