In the aftermath of Katrina, when Michael Brown was proving himself to be such a worthy political appointee of Mr. Bush, I (probably like everyone else) began wondering how many others were feeding at the federal coffers with such a wealth of relevant experience. So, I was hoping to have a little contest - who can find the a) least qualified and b) most snuggled up with special interests.
My first nominee is Mr. Jonathan L. Snare, who was made acting Assistant Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) last December.
Prior to becoming being given this job, Mr. Snare's big claim to fame was representing the Texas Republican party in a failed and ridiculous attempt to shut down a satirical website - http://www.enronownsthegop.com/ because it's banner is an elephant branded with an Enron logo - Snare claimed it was trademake infringement. At the time Snare was "Of Counsel" at the San Antonio-based firm of Loeffler, Jonas & Tuggey - Mr. Snare worked in the Austin Office.
It is of interest that one of Snare's bosses was close friend and long-time fund-raiser for George W. Bush -- one of the president's "pioneers." In fact, according to this report by Texans for Public Justice, Loeffler was one of the top five individual money-givers to the president out of 212 'pioneers' they looked at. Loeffler was #4 with $495,424 tossed into the pot, just behind #3, Ken Lay, with $574,550
Loeffler represented Texas in Congress from 1979-1987. Loeffler also topped a list of five members of Congress whose campaigns received illegal corporate money from Vernon Savings & Loan, which failed at a taxpayer cost of $1.3 billion. A Vernon officer told an `89 grand jury that Loeffler offered to set up a meeting with then Treasury Secretary James A. Baker III if they helped pay Loeffler's debt from a failed '86 gubernatorial bid. Four Vernon executives then moved $8,000 in laundered corporate money to Loeffler's campaign, this officer testified, just before federal regulators forced them to resign. (from Talking Points Memo http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/...).
Here are Mr. Snare's credentials that he brings to OSHA: "Mr. Snare has extensive experience in election law, including election contests, recounts, redistricting and Voting Rights Act lawsuits and campaign finance challenges. He has served as lead counsel in election contests representing state and county level officials and political candidates, and has represented numerous public officials and candidates in election recounts. He has served as lead counsel or counsel in major cases involving Texas redistricting plans (the Texas Gerrymander)." (Confined Space http://spewingforth.blogspot.com/...).
So - now Mr. Snare has control of OSHA, and oh what a wonderful job he is doing. The irony of it - the man who complained about an Enron-logoed elephant running an agency that dismisses 96% of corporate fraud whistleblower claims. Claims that are brought under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), which was enacted for what?? To help prevent new ENRONS!!
Oh - and OSHA's SOX stats are interesting. The give different case stats depending on their audience - http://www.cyrenetech.com/....
Damn. I love America.