"Whereas the word lobbyist once connoted those who hung around in lobbies to buttonhole powerful politicians when they emerged from the inner sanctums, these modern-day lobbyists occupy the inner sanctums themselves.
Take William Myers III, another former lobbyist who is now being promoted for a high-level judicial post by President Bush. Mr. Myers, a longtime lobbyist for the mining and cattle industries, served as the top lawyer at the Interior Department in Mr. Bush's first administration. In that job, he issued an opinion opening Indian lands to mining degradation and was criticized by his hometown newspaper for acting as an apologist for the cattle industry. Now he has been rewarded with the president's nomination for a seat on a federal appeals court that has a major voice in environmental law in Western states."
Get the Story:Lobbying From Within (The New York Times 6/17)
pwnyt Relevant Links:
Judicial nominees, Department of Justice site - http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/judicialnominations.htm Relevant Documents:
Inspector General Letter | NCAI Resolution | Environmental Group's Letter | Holland & Hart Biography Indianz.Com Profile:
Industry insider named to Interior (March 30, 2001) From the Indianz.Com Archive:
Myers reversing sacred site opinion (10/25)
Bush nominee has no 'agenda' on Clinton decisions (6/21) Related Stories:
Senate confirms more appeals court nominees (6/10)
Bush preparing dozens of judicial nominees (6/3)
Norton defends Myers' record as Interior solicitor (6/2)
Senate confirms first nominee under compromise (05/26)
NCAI welcomes compromise on judicial nominations (05/25)
Myers left out of Senate deal on Bush nominees (5/24)
Myers seen as expendable in judicial nominee fight (5/23)
Senate begins debate on Bush judicial nominees (5/19)
Senate showdown on Bush judicial nominees nears (5/17)
Democrats won't budge on Myers, other nominees (5/13)
Debate continues over blocked judicial nominees (05/10)
Democrats reject GOP offer on Bush judicial nominees (04/29)
GOP refuses compromise on Bush judicial nominees (4/27)
Democrats may offer deal on some Bush nominees (4/26)
Frist to challenge Democrats on judicial nominees (4/15)
Senate panel votes to advance Myers nomination (03/18)
Quechan Nation blasts Myers for Senate testimony (3/17)
Editorial: Reject Myers for appeals court on merits (3/17)
Democrats vow to shut down Senate on judicial picks (3/16)
Editorial: Myers still 'unworthy' choice for appeals court (03/11)
Salazar urges Bush to withdraw Myers nomination (03/02)
Myers before Senate Judiciary Committee again (3/1)
NCAI renews objection to Bill Myers nomination (2/25)
Probe of Myers role in ranching dispute released (2/23)
Investigation faults role of Bush nominee at Interior (02/16)
Republicans to push Myers for appeals court again (2/15)
Democrats block court nominee on Senate floor (7/21)
Vote set on controversial Bush court nominee (7/20)
Democrats continue to object to Myers nomination (05/19)
Bush nominee opposed by Indian Country advances (04/02)
Tribes blast Bush choice for federal appeals court (03/26)
Tribal leaders to discuss court nominee, budget (03/24)
Tex Hall: Former DOI lawyer bad choice for court (3/8)
Myers advocated giving $1M federal land for free (03/08)
Bush judicial nominee blasted by Democrats (02/06)
Senate committee to take up Bill Myers judgeship (2/3)
Probes clear ex-DOI lawyer seeking judgeship (01/12)
Appeals court nominee favored industry over tribes (12/18)
Interior's top lawyer stepping down next month (10/02)
DOI's top lawyer under ethics investigation (08/15)
Interior has few answers at Senate hearing (7/18)
Tribes push action on sacred sites (3/21)
Interior Solicitor on trust fund crash course (10/17)
Memo: Solicitor's order was 'intimidating' (10/10)
Myers reversing sacred site opinion (10/25)
Bush nominee has no 'agenda' on Clinton decisions (6/21)
Norton confirmed by 'landslide' (1/31)
Babbitt denies Calif. gold mine (1/19)
BLM recommends mine rejection (11/10)