The Washington Monthly

October 1, 2009

DOESN'T TAYLOR COUNT AS 'DISGRACED'?.... One likes to think there are certain political norms. If a political official is caught up in a huge scandal, for example, and resigns in disgrace, there's an expectation that the official will go away. If said official simply pretended nothing happened, he/she would be something of a laughing stock. In theory.

I mention this because Sara Taylor, a former top aide to Karl Rove, should be a political pariah after her role in the U.S. Attorney purge scandal. Instead, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) just hired her to help lead his political action committee, a precursor to his presidential campaign.

Hiring one of the central figures in one of the biggest abuse-of-power scandals in recent history is a painful reminder of the lack of consequences when it comes to Republican scandals.

Taylor's testimony during the U.S. Attorney hearings sure was interesting. When confronted with the fact that she'd conducted official government business through a private RNC e-mail account, she explained that it was more "efficient" than using both the RNC e-mail and the government e-mail. In addition, Taylor refused to answer many questions, citing executive privilege, and for other questions said she couldn't recall the answers:"I can't remember what I had for breakfast last week."
But her single most famous moment was when Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) caught Taylor saying she made an oath to the President -- as opposed to saying she made an oath to the Constitution.

If there were any justice, Taylor would be politically radioactive. Republican presidential candidates wouldn't want anything to do with her. She was directly involved in politicizing non-partisan government agencies and the scandal surrounding the firing of federal prosecutors who refused to act like cogs in a partisan political machine. In one instance, Taylor even suggested retribution against a U.S. Attorney who dared to speak out about the reasoning behind his firing.

Pawlenty apparently doesn't care about his new aide's past. In light of Taylor's role on the Bush/Cheney '04 campaign, which relied on vote caging, Dave Weigel asked Pawlenty today whether he agreed with Taylor and the Bush team's approach to so-called "voter registration fraud." The governor replied, "Absolutely."

—Steve Benen 2:20 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (24)

Comments

pawlenty knows that reviving taylor is his guarantee that the hardcore thug-repugnants are gonna help out if he needs it...

it's typical criminal deal-making.

pawlenty can call in his "favor."

Posted by: neill on October 1, 2009 at 2:22 PM | PERMALINK

Hey, whoa, hold your horses, Steve. She may have subverted the rule of law, but it's not like she called Republicans "assholes" or anything serious.

Posted by: inkadu on October 1, 2009 at 2:30 PM | PERMALINK

If there were an integrity question on a GOP job application, would anyone but Bobby Jindal get the job?

Posted by: freelunch on October 1, 2009 at 2:38 PM | PERMALINK

A brush with the DoJ or even better appearances before a grand jury or performing sworn testimony in front of a hostile committee are the "street cred" equivalents of a missing finger for GOP operatives. You're really not part of the family until you've put it all on the line.

Posted by: Doug Bostrom on October 1, 2009 at 2:41 PM | PERMALINK

DougBostrom-- Hence the nickname of Sara "Shot Nine Times" Taylor.

Posted by: inkadu on October 1, 2009 at 2:44 PM | PERMALINK

Who else do they have? I'm guessing over the last 20 years, between Delay, Gingrich and W., all of the skilled, rational Republicans have dropped out of active roles in the party. anyone who wants to be a player these days is stuck with the only people crazy or corrupt enough to stick it out . . .

Posted by: Mike on October 1, 2009 at 2:52 PM | PERMALINK

Does the name Oliver North ring a bell? If he can make a comeback I'm pretty sure anyone can.

Posted by: ArkPanda on October 1, 2009 at 2:55 PM | PERMALINK

just repeating stuff here: there is simply never any consequence to republican wrongdoing...somebody will rehire them...exhibit a: karl rove

Posted by: dj spellchecka on October 1, 2009 at 3:00 PM | PERMALINK

If a Democrat did this, the mighty right-wing Wurlitzer would scream until she was fired. Where's the Democratic Party TV network to organize the campaign against her?

Posted by: Steve Stein on October 1, 2009 at 3:02 PM | PERMALINK

In the GOP, it's not called a "disgrace", it's called an "audition."

And hey, it's not like she said Republican plan is for people to die. Now THAT would be beyond the pale.

Posted by: biggerbox on October 1, 2009 at 3:02 PM | PERMALINK

So proud of my governor. Can't wait for his upcoming appearences on Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck...

Posted by: skybluewater on October 1, 2009 at 3:08 PM | PERMALINK

Welcome to the realm of looney tune states Minnesota. I thought we here in Texas pretty much had the "king of" title but your Repubs are making a run for it.

There is no shame for there is no conscience.

Posted by: whichwitch on October 1, 2009 at 3:08 PM | PERMALINK

If there were an integrity question on a GOP job application, would anyone but Bobby Jindal get the job?

Is there more than one Bobby Jindal in public life? Because the one I'm thinking of opposed the president's stimulus bill, then went around the state having his picture taken giving away stimulus checks with his name on them.
Not exactly my idea of integrity.

Posted by: Allan Snyder on October 1, 2009 at 3:08 PM | PERMALINK

Ruthlessness and amorality, willingness to commit crimes and subvert government -- among Republican political operatives they're not bugs, they're features.

Posted by: dalloway on October 1, 2009 at 3:17 PM | PERMALINK

Given Pawlenty's response, does this mean that we can reasonably expect a President Pawlenty to cheerfully subvert the rule of law as Bush did?

"Absolutely".

Posted by: ckelly on October 1, 2009 at 3:30 PM | PERMALINK

If they(Republicans, only) are not currently in prison, they are not considered guilty of any crime. Has anyone(Rs Only) ever been denied any of their civil rights, voting, etc. as a consequence of being convicted of a felony? We have heard Chappaquidic for years, yet there was never a conviction. Whitewater--no conviction. Vince Foster--no conviction.

I don't understand.

Posted by: st john on October 1, 2009 at 3:32 PM | PERMALINK

Pawlenty apparently doesn't care about his new aide's past.

When are we going to quit scratching our heads in wonder and realize that her past misdeeds are a feature, not a bug?

Posted by: beep52 on October 1, 2009 at 3:52 PM | PERMALINK

speaking of.... what's Rachael Paulose up to these days? - I'd figure that she's long overdue to get back in our faces

Posted by: andy on October 1, 2009 at 4:11 PM | PERMALINK

This really doesn't matter. Pawlenty is my governor and he won't get past the primary. He is an intellectual and political lightweight.

Posted by: OC on October 1, 2009 at 4:22 PM | PERMALINK

Steve, I think the point is that republicans, in their heart of hearts, have only contempt for self-governance. To the modern day republican, Taylor is a heroine for her blatant abuse of power. She's not radioactive, Steve, she's hot !

Posted by: rbe1 on October 1, 2009 at 4:38 PM | PERMALINK

For powerful Righties, doing what gets you "disgraced" (in the eyes of everyone else is a feature, not a bug.

Posted by: N E I L B on October 1, 2009 at 4:39 PM | PERMALINK

Lighten up, Benen. It's not as though Taylor accepted a vicuna coat.

And sometimes pariahs are cast out. In full knowledge that a king's ransom-of-a-payoff stood to be earned, Robert Bork utterly disgraced himself in '73. Nevertheless, a decade later he was denied his reward and rightful place in the GOP constellation.

Posted by: JW on October 1, 2009 at 5:11 PM | PERMALINK

"...she was directly involved in politicizing non-partisan government agencies..."
To a Republican, there is no such thing as a "non-partisan" government agency. See; Rove, Karl.

Posted by: Doug on October 1, 2009 at 7:21 PM | PERMALINK

This whole episode is just another indication that the Republicans are scraping the bottom of the barrel. After all, once you rid your party of sane people...who's left?

Posted by: Big River Bandido on October 1, 2009 at 11:14 PM | PERMALINK