President Obama announced six recess appointments on Wednesday

[Tx4obama]

Source: Politico

President Obama announced six recess appointments on Wednesday, including the naming of James Cole as the deputy attorney general. Obama's nomination of Cole, who Republicans scrutinized for his stances on terrorism issues and his role monitoring AIG, has been stalled for months.

In a statement, the White House said the positions "have been left vacant for an extended period of time." The appointments are:

James M. Cole, Nominee for Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice

Matthew J. Bryza, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Department of State

Norman L. Eisen, Nominee for Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Department of State

Robert Stephen Ford, Nominee for Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic, Department of State

Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr., Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Department of State

William J. Boarman, Nominee for Public Printer of the United States

Read more: http://www.politico.com/politico44/

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Edited to add:
Politico has now put up a 'full' article, here's the link:
http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1210/get_to_work_977bf459-75f3-4d35-9640-020edc1b8321.html

[Elmore Furth]

1. Thanks -- R&B NT

[lamp_shade]

2. Yessssss...

[geckosfeet]

3. Good. Now we have a public printer - and a deputy AG.

Stalled, 6 nominees get recess jobs

President Obama made six recess appointments Wednesday, exceeding the number of times his predecessor, George W. Bush, exercised this executive power at this point in his presidency.

The most controversial appointment is James Cole as deputy attorney general. A longtime friend of Attorney General Eric Holder, Cole was blocked by Senate Republicans who raised questions about his views on terrorism and his work from 2005 to 2009 as an independent monitor at AIG, the insurance giant that received a federal bailout.

[Samantha]

4. I am stunned

I worked directly for one of these individuals in my DC travels. I am happy for him, and can't imagine the future doors which will open for him in his lifetime. He is a great choice.

Sam

[DFLforever]

5. WTF - holding up ambassadorships.

I kind of grasp why the GOPers hold back confirmation of judges for political gain.

But what are they trying to do, cripple US foreign policy abroad? I guess they really
don't give a shit about the country outside of that upper 2 percent.

[Ken Burch]

6. he should do that with ALL federal court vacancies AND the NLRB

And repeat it each recess if necessary.

It's time to stop the crazies from preventing this president from filling the empty positions, especially since no Democratic congress EVER treated a Republican president this way on appointments.

[bjobotts]

7. Ambassadorship are usually 'payoffs' for rich campaign supporters

[bjobotts]

8. Recess appointments should be in the Judiciary where they are really needed

[Tx4obama]

10. Obama got the senate to confirm 19 federal judges in the lame duck.

Here's a list of confirmed judges and judges still waiting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Barack_Obama

The first recess of the new congressional session will be the second week of January 2011.
I think we'll be seeing Obama do some recess appointments of at least the four controversial nominees that the republicans refused to touch during the lame duck.

[mvd]

9. Considering the situation, Turkey could use an ambassador

Repukes were just being spiteful holding up that one. Any recess appointment is a good one considering the vacancies due to Repuke obstruction.

[Harry Hope]

11. Obama Announces 6 Recess Appointments

Source: CBS News


(AP) HONOLULU (AP) -

President Barack Obama bypassed the Senate Wednesday to make six recess appointments, including a deputy attorney general whose links to the insurance giant American International Group had stalled his confirmation.

Obama first nominated James Cole to the No. 2 Justice Department post in May. But Republican lawmakers blocked his confirmation in part because of questions about his role as an independent consultant for AIG before its near collapse and government bailout in 2008. Senate Republicans complained that confidentiality agreements prevented them from receiving answers about his work for the company.

..................................................................

Others appointed Wednesday were: William Boarman, U.S. public printer; Matthew Bryza, ambassador to Azerbaijan; Norman Eisen, ambassador to the Czech Republic; Robert Ford, ambassador to Syria; and Francis Ricciardone, ambassador to Turkey.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/29/ap/politics/main7195728.shtml

[msongs]

12. great recess appt all currently outstanding nominees nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. James Cole, longtime friend of Attorney General Eric Holder.

And HuffPo says this about Cole's role in AIG:
"Cole and his high-powered law firm, Bryan Cave, were paid $20 million by AIG as part of negotiated settlements with the Justice Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, and former NY State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, over bid-rigging charges and accounting irregularities involving the insurance giant.

During his time at AIG, the firm dangerously ramped up its sale of credit-default swaps (essentially insurance) to investment banks, essentially betting big that the housing market wouldn't collapse. Those risky moves were undertaken at AIG's Financial Products division -- the head of which, Joseph Cassano, dubbed "The Man Who Crashed The World" by Vanity Fair's Michael Lewis, was investigated by federal prosecutors who declined to bring criminal charges in the end.

But Cole became more complacent over time, not effectively overseeing the firm, allowing AIG officials to review his quarterly reports to the SEC and declining to monitor AIG-FP despite increasing signs that that division was veering out of control, claim these former employees. This despite the fact that AIG-FP admitted committing securities fraud in 2004, only avoiding criminal prosecution after paying an $80 million fine and installing Cole as an independent monitor.

"It was either incompetence, negligence or fraud and I have nothing to indicate that it was fraud," says the ex-staffer. "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/23/james-cole-obamas-justice_n_800740.html

[Psephos]

18. Cole was as bad a choice as could be made. Pure cronyism. n/t

[jwirr]

14. Recess appointments - Finally. Oops - he made others.

[Stardust]

15. An AIG crony? I give the fuck up. nt

[Divernan]

16. So Cole was too incompetent/corrupt/complicit for even the GOP to publicly approve him,

but Obama makes him number two person at the Justice Department?

Why am I not surprised that he is a close friend of Obama's choice for Attorney General, Eric Holder?

Wouldn't it be great to have someone with the integrity of Janet Reno as AG?

Only things certain in life are death, taxes and that Obama's presidency will continue to rack up disappointing acts and decisions.

[woodsprite]

17. Things that make you say "WTF?". n/t