Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Hillman tapped

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Well, is it a “terrible nomination” or evidence of politics as usual?

In March, US District Court Judge William Young blasted the service as a “second rate” agency because of political patronage appointees and called on Congress to professionalize the law enforcement agency.

Senator Kenney prempted the nomination in a letter to President Bush last March urging, “a nomination that renders confidence that political considerations are not unduly affecting law enforcement”.

Hillman has extensive (albeit rusty perhaps) experience in law enforcement. Supervisory/management experience as well.  Obviously, it is a political appointment.  The question is, can a 58 year old individual who has been removed from the field due to retirement for a period of eight years perform at a superior level to other candidates?

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  1. Has either Senator bothered to offer a substantive reason for opposing the nomination?  Who would they offer as an alternative – Guy Glodis?

    • …not an alternative on philosophical/political grounds, even if there’s a (D) after his name on a ballot.  No carrot for Glodis, the pay scale is a lateral move and he has far greater access to visibility in his current position as he plans his next political step.  Hillman is more qualified anyways (IMO) with past experience…just wondering about current status?  One would hope that the field of law enforcement has made progress in the past eight years.

      • It used to be a joke that Guy Glodis was made Senate Chair of Public Safety because as a court baliff, he had at least SEEN a gun…it became less funny when they made Barrios the Senate chair.

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        BTW – other than the satanic Scott Brown – has anybody in the Senate ever done any military or police service?

        • I thought pin-ups were acceptable to the moral-less Massachusetts.  Why would you denigrate the man? He spent many taxpaid hours working toward his law degree as a ROTC and building his resume on the worker’s dime, with neary a hint of danger to himself.  Discos in the 80’s were more dangerous haunts for Scotty than any military position he has held.

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          BTW, the X-Governor of the Commonwealth, who fancies himself the next Commander in Chief of the United States of America did what military service????  Oh, and the current Commander in Chief of the US!?!?!?!  Fortunately, our current Governor does not feign to be a cowboy, hunter or other ridiculous Faustian persona to grab votes.

          • BTW – what was the military service of the LAST Commander in Chief?  Crime watch on the mean streets of Oxford, tracking down stray cyclers?

  2. The question is, can a 58 year old individual who has been removed from the field due to retirement for a period of eight years perform at a superior level to other candidates?

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    Who were the other candidates?

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    Actually, a second question: why isn’t this position subject to Senate confirmation?

  3. as a total non-issue.  I’m surprised (well, maybe not) that Kennedy and Kerry are making as big and public a deal out of it as they appear to be.  For God’s sake, the guy was head of the State Police, and has many years of law enforcement experience.  That strikes me as perfectly adequate qualifications for US Marshal, unless there is something about his tenure as head of the Staties that I don’t know about.  I really can’t take seriously the notion that this is a “terrible nomination.”  There are far bigger fights to fight than this one.

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