Adopt A Box of Docs Part II: The New Boxes I

We haven’t been asked to do this by Hugh Hewitt, or his trusted sidekick Generalissimo Duane. Right now, they’re kind of busy with helping coordinating the blogger efforts at getting relief money to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We’d do a bit on the Katrina survivors, but as the old adage goes, "Too many cooks spoil the dish." Michelle Malkin, Hugh, and Glenn Reynolds (InstaPundit) are doing a phenomenal job in keeping up on all the stories and updates. Please, go to their sites if you need updates, and PLEASE donate to help our fellow Americans if you can.

But, Marcie and I came across this last night, and we noticed that none of the big guns in the blogosphere have touched on this. The Reagan Library released more documents on Judge John Roberts. More boxes. More documents. His hearings start next week, and the documents need to be vetted. So, we’ll take up the challenge.
To our regular readers: We’re going to plow through as many of these boxes as we can. We’ll do this much like we did the last time—one box at a time, and we’ll give a summary of what we read. Both of us will be working on this, we just won’t be working together on each post. She’s at school during the day. I’ve got the point for the daytime, so just bear with us.

Box I: Memos of Appointees

This box is dated from December 1982 through March 1983, and there are a number of people listed that were facing appointment to higher positions in the federal government. Much of these memos are typical summaries. It’s a bit difficult to be specific in my assessment as a lot of them are redacted; areas blacked out for security or privacy reasons.

R. Budd Gould was the first person in this box that was up for appointment. He’s been blind since 1970, and has served numerous committees and councils that addressed the concerns of the handicapped. Roberts assessment is that Mr. Gould satisfied the requirements that the appointee "be representative of the handicapped (or) national organizations concerned with the handicapped. Mr. Gould did make a couple semi-controversial comments where he stated that things such as alcoholism or drug abuse not be classified as a handicap, but Roberts emphasizes that this should not discourage him from being appointed to the National Council of the Handicapped. Roberts also notes that Mr. Gould was not required to fill out a financial disclosure form.

Moody Tidwell was the second person up for an appointment that Roberts interviewed. He was being appointed to the Deputy Comptroller General’s position within the Reagan administration. Mr. Tidwell had served as Deputy Solicitor to the Department of the Interior. The most controversial thing about his appointment was that at the time, the commission assigned to vet this position had been refusing to meet, according to a memo cited by Roberts from Chris Hicks from Presidential Personnel. Hicks cited the refusal to meet for political reasons, but also states that the commission was scheduled to meet later that week, and Mr. Tidwell’s name was on their list. Again, much of this memo is redacted.

Dr. Steven Schlesinger is the next appointee on Roberts’ list, and he was being considered for the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics. If the Left wants to latch on to another straw, this would be the guy because Dr. Schlesinger was working at ((gasp)) Catholic University. (Calls for favortism, Senator Leahy?) At the time, he was on leave from Catholic University, where he was an Associate Professor and Associate Chairman of the Department of Politics. The provost of university, J. Murphy, confirmed that Dr. Schlesinger was on leave without salary, and the good doctor himself confirmed that all of his university benefits were frozen. Roberts notes that he satisfied the statutory requirements for the position, as he is well-versed in statistical records. It is also noted that his affiliation with the American Jewish Forum has no connection to the BJS. He does point to testimony that Dr. Schlesinger had with Senator Mathias was not hostile, but that the senator did not agree with a few of his positions. Dr. Schlesinger also stated that he has amicable relations with Senator Sarbanes.

Next on the list is Glen T. Urquhart who was being appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission. Roberts questioned Mr. Urquhart about the extent of his real estate interests, and whether they would "constitute an obstacle to the conflict-free discharge of his responsibilities" as a member of the Commission. Mr. Urquhart felt that none of his private interests would cause a problem while as a member of the commission, and he would not be an embarrassment to the President. Again, this one has a redaction, and a great deal of it.

Darrell Trent is next, and he was being considered to be an ambassador. Roberts, once again, called into question whether his holdings might prove to be a conflict of interest. This arose when Roberts reviewed his 278 form, which is the financial disclosure form. Mr. Trent declared that none of his holdings would constitute a conflict of interest in his ambassadorial duties, and Roberts concurred.

J. Brian Hyland was next in the box, and he was being considered for the Inspector General of the Department of Labor. Mr. Hyland was the Deputy Inspector General for NASA, which shows that he fulfills the statutory requirements for the position he was being considered for. Mr. Hyland, at the time, was the Vice President of the Association of Federal Investigators, and was its past president. He received no salary for that particular position. Roberts notes that his financial report was on the up-andup, and that he would present no conflicts in the ability to discharge his duties.

George J. Adams was being appointed as a member to the National Institute of Building Sciences. He was the president and owner of a small business that produced airplane and auto parts. He was being appointed to the Institute "as a representative of the public interest," as per 12 USC Sect. 1701j-2(c) (4), which states that representatives "shall include . . . professional engineers . . . [and] shall hold no financial interest or membership in, nor be employed by, or receive other compensation from, any company, association, or other group associated with the manufacture, distribution, installation, or maintenance of specialized building products, equipment, systems, subsystems, or other construction materials and techniques for which there are available substitutes." Roberts writes that Mr. Adams was a professional engineer, and that he holds not interests and no connections proscribed in the above-quoted provision. Upon reviewing his financial statement, Roberts assures that he no conflict of interest to his proscribed duties.

John A. Kraeutler was being appointed to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee. Mr. Kraeutler was connected to insurance companies that dealt with automobiles as well as trucks, as in over the road trucking. According to Mr. Kraeutler, his comapnies were "affected by" and "concerned with" highway safety. Roberts cited the statutory regulations for the appointment of people to the commission:

"[t]he appointed members, having due regard for the purposes of this chapter, shall be selected from among representatives of various State and local governments, including State legislatures, of public and private interests contributing to, affected by, or concerned with highway safety, including the national organizations of passenger car, bus, and truck owners, and of other public and private agencies, organizations, or groups demonstrating an active interest in highway safety, as well as research scientists and other individuals who are expert in this field."

The conflicts that attracted Roberts attention is redacted, so I can’t comment on that. However, he does not that the conflict that he questioned Mr. Kraeutler about would not affect his ability to do his job as the NHSAC advises the government about safety concerns, and is not involved in it’s regulation. Roberts also notes that Mr. Kraeutler’s minute involvement in the trucking industry would not constitute a conflict of interest.

Kyle C. Boone is the final appointee interviewed in this box. He was being appointed to the National Institute of Building Sciences. Roberts notes that he satisfies the statutory regulation requirement, as a provision states that the Institute include architects, and Mr. Boone is one. He is also to have no financial ties to any building manufacturers, including building materials, equipment and systems. Mr. Boone claimed he had no such affiliation with any of the cited statutory requirements that would disqualify him. Roberts citehe end of this memo that Mr. Boone is being considered for a vacancy that would occur in September of 1983, and that he would have to update his disclosure forms before that time.

Roberts did an excellent job in these interviews, and covered his bases. He brought up the necessary questions regarding financial holdings, and possible conflicts-of-interest to prevent any embarrassment to the administration, and the nation. This box, in my opinion, shows that Roberts is thorough and methodical in his approach to a variety of subjects. Further, it shows that when it comes to the position he is nominated for, he will not be quick to judge, or act in a slip-shod manner.

Publius II