BOMBSHELL! Rep, Jo Bonner (R-AL) to resign for cushy job at U. of Alabama

[trof]

My congressman.
District 1. Mobile and Baldwin counties and a bit of a couple of others.
His sister, Judy Bonner is the president of the University of Alabama.
He will be "vice chancellor of government relations and economic development at the University of Alabama System", a newly created job.

The University of Alabama 'system' includes the main campus in Tuscaloosa, and subsidiaries in Birmingham and Huntsville.

He will basically be their lobbyist in Washington.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/jo-bonner-retirement-reports-91833.html#ixzz2UA1RjIVl

Wonder what his congressional pension will be?
Benefits?

[Laurian]

1. I'm surprised the University allows that kind of nepotism.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Oh honey, you do not know Alabama!!!

When it comes to money and football, anything goes.

[trof]

5. There ya go.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. I think it's doubful, but perhaps his replacement will be better?

Let's hope, trof!

[trof]

4. Thanks for the pic of the straight wing F-84.

I flew the 'bent wing' (swept) RF-84/F.


But you have been paying attention and I appreciate that.
I digress...
The replacement will not be a Democrat.
And it will likely be a more right-wing-nut repug.

My gut feeling is that Bonner was getting more and more uncomfortable with the 'atmosphere' in the U.S. House, trying to deal with the tea baggers.
I'm no fan of his, but I think he leaned more moderate than many of his ilk.
He was basically not a 'wave maker'.
Inherited the job as a staffer for his predecessor (Sonny Callahan), who also retired and handed the reigns over to Josiah.
Bonner ran unopposed by a Democrat in his last election.


The Alabama Democratic Party is in melt-down now.
It will be years, maybe decades, before we gain any power in this state.

[Cooley Hurd]

7. AW crap - your old sig line always intrigued me...

...because the F-84 was always on my (non-achievable) bucket list of a/c to fly. That, and the F-4U, P-51 and F-86. I DID have a memorable flight last summer when I won a ride on a B-17G (disguised as an F):

(put to my music).

Okay, enough about aviation.

We had a brief teabag congressperson here in NY-24. She was AWFUL. But she was tossed out on her tukus in November. They're a pretty conservative district here in 24 - big hunting country, but the modern Republican's extreme views don't resonate even with the right-extremists here anymore. I believe the rest of the country, and even 'Bama will follow suit in short order.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Pension tuff to determine...

Members of Congress first elected in 1984 or later are covered automatically under the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS), unless they decline this coverage.
Those who already were in Congress when Social Security coverage went into effect could either remain in CSRS or change their coverage to FERS.
Members are now covered under one of four different retirement arrangements:
Full coverage under both CSRS and Social Security;
The “CSRS Offset” plan, which includes both CSRS and SocialSecurity, but with CSRS contributions and benefits reduced by
Social Security contributions and benefits;
FERS plus Social Security;
or Social Security alone.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

A more burning question:
Why NOW? ( I have a feeling that job was created as parachute from something....)

and WHO will our Repub. State house choose to replace him?

[liberaltrucker]

8. You know what makes me mad? What makes me want to cover my ass with honey and moon a grizzly bear?

THIS!

Yes, I'm all too familiar with Alabama politics. Way back to the "Big Jim" Folsom
era. Still doesn't piss me off any less.

[trof]

9. A friend fairly high up in the Democratic party has this take:

"This is a move by the Repugs to put someone in the UA system to identify and recruit new young conservatives, and I'm sure they have Bonner's heir apparent picked from within 2 or 3 people."