Gillespie Added to Bush Supreme Court Nominee Lobbying Team

[paineinthearse]

SUPREME COURT – THOMPSON GETS A SIDEKICK

Fred Thompson will be getting a sidekick in his fight to shepherd through the White House's Supreme Court nominee to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. President Bush is "expected to formally announce soon his designation of , former chairman of the Republican National Committe" to work alongside with Thompson. While Thompson will be babysitting the nominee, Gillespie "will help develop Bush's nomination message." A former full-time campaign manager, Gillespie's "assignment will be to use the tools and techniques of a presidential campaign to put together a conservative political machine equipped to take on the alliance of groups on the political left." However, Gillespie "is a top-tier lobbyist who represents a host of clients" – including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – "with direct and indirect interests in the outcome of Supreme Court decisions" yet has thus far refused "to discuss his selection or the conflict-of-interest rules that will govern his activities."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/07/AR2005070701973.html?nav=rss_politics

Lobbyist to Campaign For Bush Court Nominee
Gillespie Choice Marks Bid to Use GOP Muscle

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 8, 2005; A04

Ed Gillespie, who will help promote President Bush's future nominee to a vacancy on the Supreme Court, is a top-tier lobbyist who represents a host of clients with direct and indirect interests in the outcome of Supreme Court decisions. Bush is expected to formally announce soon his designation of Gillespie, 43, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, to work with former senator Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.) to shepherd Bush's choice to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor through the Senate. Thompson, a television actor, will deal privately with senators and provide advice to the nominee on preparing for Judiciary Committee hearings, while Gillespie will help develop Bush's nomination message.

During a brief telephone interview yesterday, Gillespie declined to discuss his selection or the conflict-of-interest rules that will govern his activities. But other sources in the lobbying community said he is likely to give up active representation of clients during the two to four months he will serve as a manager for the candidate chosen to serve on the highest court of the land. Quinn Gillespie & Associates represents corporations and trade associations with strong bottom-line interests in court rulings involving corporate liability, tort reform, antitrust and securities issues. The firm's clients, most of whom pay annual fees of $200,000 to $360,000, include the American Petroleum Institute, SBC Communications Inc., Tyson Foods Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., Microsoft Corp., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Realtors, Safeway Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

The firm's lobbying billings were $12.01 million last year, a figure that does not include fees for public relations work and strategic advice. The designation of a full-time campaign manager for the as-yet-to-be-named nominee reflects a White House decision to aggressively challenge a major liberal campaign already underway to defeat any of the nominees described as having a place on Bush's "short list" of candidates. The Gillespie pick marks the first full-scale bid to mobilize the political muscle of the Republican Party and its allied networks of constituent groups in the business and religious communities.

Gillespie's assignment will be to use the tools and techniques of a presidential campaign to put together a conservative political machine equipped to take on the alliance of groups on the political left that defeated the 1987 nomination of Robert H. Bork and nearly defeated Clarence Thomas, who won Senate confirmation by a close 52 to 48 vote in 1991. Gillespie may work for the White House as a "special government employee," allowing him to retain his ties to his multimillion-dollar lobbying firm and to be exempt from many of the rules covering full-time government workers. The special designation can be used only for people who work for the government for fewer than 130 days in a year.

more.....

[Totally Committed]

1. I was just wondering the other day...

when Gillespie would be brought into this mess. His presense gives the whole thing a sort of familiarity that it was lacking.

The Bush White House really does use the same people over and over again. They trust so few....

TC

[paineinthearse]

2. Recycling "folks" - Karen Huge

You are right on.

I believe it was last week's Friday news dump, there was a WH press announcement about Karen Huge, nominating her for a senior Foggy Bottom position.

I'm heading out for the weekend, bud do an andvanced search under my handle and "Karen Hughes" to find it.

I've not heard one word from the corporate media then or since.

My predicition is that when Cheney's death is announced, Condi will be named VP and Huge will be named SoSUS.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. How can Fred Thompson live with himself associating with the right

wing slime? The corruption factor in the Republican party is undeniable. Maybe Thompson isn't as moral as he claims to be, or tries to portray himself to be?

[paineinthearse]

4. Let's wait and see how he acts

He may surprise us.

[leesa]

5. Of course the appointment of the SC stooge will be a non-Partisan event.

The entire GOP political machinery put into motion?