Cronies, chums and Bush surrogates get government posts

Bill Berkowitz
January 10, 2006

Peter Kirsanow, a Black conservative lawyer who represents management in disputes with labor, was handed a recess appointment to the National Labor Relations Board

On Wednesday, January 4, while the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal continued to unwind, sending shockwaves through the nation's capital, the Bush Administration announced a handful of recess appointments. Included on the list of appointees -- who do not have to face confirmation by the Senate -- was a host of Bush cronies who don't appear ready for primetime.

One name on Bush's list was that of Peter N. Kirsanow. The conservative African American lawyer from Cleveland, who since 2001 has been serving on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, was appointed to fill one of two vacant seats on the five-member National Labor Relations Board. He will maintain the NLRB position for the remainder of a five-year term that expires on August 27, 2008.