Reply #7: ***More from WASH POST on von Spakovsky & the other 2 nominees:

[Nothing Without Hope]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601717.html

Bush Picks Controversial Nominees for FEC

By Thomas B. Edsall and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 17, 2005; Page A09

(snip)

In a letter to Senate Rules Committee Chairman Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) wrote that he is "extremely troubled" by the von Spakovsky nomination. Kennedy contends that von Spakovsky "may be at the heart of the political interference that is undermining the Department's enforcement of federal civil laws."

Career Justice Department lawyers involved in a Georgia case said von Spakovsky pushed strongly for approval of a state program requiring voters to have photo identification. A team of staff lawyers that examined the case recommended 4 to 1 that the Georgia plan should be rejected because it would harm black voters; the recommendation was overruled by von Spakovsky and other senior officials in the Civil Rights Division.

Before working in the Justice Department, von Spakovsky was the Republican Party chairman in Fulton County, Ga., and served on the board of the Voter Integrity Project, which advocated regular purging of voter roles to prevent felons from casting ballots.

(snip)

The same WaPo article talks about the two DEMOCRATIC nominees by Bush for the FEC, David Mason (nominated for a 2nd term) and the controversial Robert Lenhard. Lenhard was part of the legal team arguing against the contitutionality of the McCain/Feingold campaign finance law, and he has opposition:

The Lenhard nomination, first proposed in July 2003, has provoked strong opposition from advocacy groups seeking tough enforcement of campaign finance laws, especially the 2002 McCain-Feingold bill.

But Harry Reid, a crony of Lenhard, issued this statement:

{I am} very pleased the president acted today upon my two recommendations for Commissioners on the Federal Election Commission. {Walther and Lenhard}

The article does not mention any statement by Reid about von Spakovsky, nor is Reid concerned about the past actions of Lenhard in opposing the campaign fincance-reform bill.

Let's not forget: Harry Reid was one of the top recipients of cash - #10, with $47,000 - in the Abramoff scandal:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2005/12/12/GR2005121200286.html