Thursday, July 9, 2015

Washington Style Politics

I figured out I might as well pile on with the Susan Garber nomination for Planning Board.

You can read all about it here in the Sun, here in Julia's analysis, and Tom's take.

County Executive Kittleman has accused the County Council of playing politics with the nomination. Call me naive, but I believe it IS politics.

His petition to call for a yes-or-no vote on Garber garnered 185 votes according to his campaign page. And yes, there were more supporters that showed up in person to testify in favor of her appointment.

However, not everyone feels that she is qualified and word on the street is that the County Council has received many emails against her. And it's not just the developers that everyone loves to blame. (Also worth noting, both candidates for County Executive in 2014 received developer contributions.)

At this point, doesn't the inaction of the Council make it apparent that if it does go to an up-or-down vote, they would vote 4-1 against her?

Reading the agendas and minutes of the past council meetings indicates they have appointed dozens of the Executive's nominees. While certain constituencies may have gotten him elected, they did not overthrow the Democratic majority on the Council that may oppose those constituencies. Listen, I would prefer they just vote on it, but who knows why these things happen? ...Oh, right, POLITICS.

It reminds me of the George W. Bush nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court in 2005.That process went horribly too, for many reasons, and this one seems as inevitable.


(Full Disclosure: I am writing this as an individual, not as a Town Center Village Board Member.)

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