You had to be blind to not see this one coming. Tim Johnson’s son preparing to apply to be US Attorney, despite the shadow of nepotism.

What a corrupt stinky bit of nepotism this is. Prince Brendan is really starting his political career looking like a chump.

So, the SENATOR’S SON calls you and says he’d like a letter of recommendation from you (wink, wink). And he also mentions that his DAD THE SENATOR will be making other appointments and passing out FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS from his seat on the “all powerful” Senate Appropriations Committee (wink again, am i getting through to you pal). How the Johnsons get away with the blatant political corruption and lying and nepotism in this state is beyond me.

Maybe the press should ask Prince Brendan when his daddy thinks he should start his political career. Run for House in 2010? Wait for daddy’s throne to be open?

How many republicans have jobs in Pierre because of their daddies connections?

The question is: Is there no other Democrat lawyer in the state who is qualified? Why must it be B. Johnson?

T. Johnson duped gullible (and sympathetic) S. Dakotans by convincing them that he is up to the job for the next 6 years. Seems that he taught his son well.

nep?o?tism [nep-uh-tiz-uhm]

–noun: patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics: She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm. See Brendan Johnson.

There are more qualified demo attorneys than Mini Me Johnson. No one will know how many others apply as it is really seen as a private matter. Will Mini Me do a good job if he gets it? Only time will tell. However, it is rather folly to assume that he is taking the shot at US Attorney because this is what he wants to do. It is merely a step in his personal vision to ascend to public office. Unless other people apply and make this process work, we’ll never know.

Personally, I don’t blame Mini Me from taking advantage of the political system in this state, a bunch of nay sayers and lack luster, albeit lazy candidates and the blind, non demanding sheep of which are the voting populous. This is a small, uneducated state, which rarely votes on the merits of candidates and their positions on issues. The candidates (TJ and Mini Me included) merely tote their DNA, what they did before and ignore their current capabilities. Until someone steps up and starts calling a spade a spade and injects some realistic, although, perceived “dirt politics”, things will never change.

And Bush was not nepotism? How? Brandon is at least competent and speaks the English language.

The FIX is in on this one babies. The Johnson machine sent a clear message to all Democrat attorneys in South Dakota: YOU NEED NOT APPLY. The SENATOR’S SON will be taking this position, thank you very much. Anybody who disagrees sleeps with the fishes.

Jo 9:38: How was Bush guilty of Nepotism? Get off the dead Bush horse already, he’s gone, you got your Massiah. Now, start working on your complaints that when Yobama bombs on all of his programs and unfunded freebies that it’s Bush’s fault on why nothings working, albeit the fact that the demos were in ass deep in all the crisis (financial (fannie and freddie), bailouts, war, etc.).

I can’t wait until all this hoopla and festive BS is over with so you can all see what little substance (outside Yobama’s speach writers) Yobama has. Boy will this be pathetic. I can guarantee you that the enemies of the US will be having bigger parties than us. Watch: increased Soviet agression, Hamas uncapped, Al Queda insurgences, and increased domestic threat to the US. Just watch.

Duh way to use a racial slur to make your point.

Don’t you know today is Martin Luther King jr. birthday holiday?

Brendan Johnson as George W. Bush. Seems about right. Everything fixed/greased by Big Daddy. Good company for Brendan. What a joke.

PP: Rework your post to change the name “Johnson” to “Rounds”. Yeah, I didn’t think so. Where were you six years ago about Mike and his relatives?

Brendan Johnson is well qualified to be USA. He has both civil and criminal prosecution experience, which, frankly, is a fairly rare combination. He is well regarded in the SD legal profession on the basis of his abilities, not his last name. The US Senate has to confirm him.

Get used to him being the USA. He’ll do a great job.

Have a nice MLK Day.

Todd Epp
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net

Is there anyone who can provide a list of Dem attorneys who want the job and are more qualified than Brendan Johnson?

I assume there is at least one, but without a list of names, I think we have to assume there isn’t anyone.

C’mon team, let’s compile a list.

There were several Democrats who were interested in serving as US Attorney. Why wouldn’t there be? it’s a total plum of a job and many attorneys usually apply. But the Johnson good squad made sure to slam the door on the open application process so the fix was in for Prince Brendan. Nice work Democrats. It’s the politics of “hope and change”!! What a bunch of corrupt hacks.

John,

For 500 years, the phrase “calling a spade a spade” has been used to mean “speak brutally honest and not wishy washy”.

For 400 years, the phrase “spic and span” was used to describe something made “clean as new.”

For my entire life, I’ve called my aunt’s husband “Uncle Tom”.

Not only should we not scrub (slur to mean unimportant member of a team who only sees playing time when the game is out of reach) every word that has been used as a slur.

“Calling a spade” has nothing to do with the slur of “spade” associated with black. “Spic and span” has nothing to do with spanish or hispanic.

We are past it. Otherwise when our new President-elect said, he didn’t want cream in his coffee and wanted crackers in his soup we didn’t think he meant anything racial. He just drinks coffee and eats soup like most of us here in South Dakota.

John 10:02. Lighten up. No racism intended. How about Hussein? Don’t have enough space to print out all of the slams directed towards Bush over these last years.

11:05: no serious Democratic lawyer would apply now because they know that the choice has been ordained from on high by Big Daddy Johnson. To apply now and actually create a contest would only make the Johnson Machine furious and destroy any chance you’d have of getting an appointment some day. Johnson effectively shut down the application process, which is exactly what they meant to do. Don’t worry, Obama knows corruption from many years in Chicago and gets the joke. He’ll sign off on this farce with no problem and maybe make Tim promise him a few votes in return.

EPP 10:32 – My discontent is nonpartisan, I don’t like how Rounds handled his appointments, back alley deals either. People should get positions on merit, influence and power, not which womb you came from.

Todd,

On my post on the Insanity, you said something to the effect “What about Bush” and on this one you reference Rounds. I thought with Obama and the Democrats we would get “Change we can believe in.” To justify yourself by saying “well, others have done it” is to make your rhetoric vapid and cynical.

Personally, I would be impressed with Brendan if he would embrace the reality that he has an advantage because of his dad is and say it will make him committed to working harder to prove that he still is a worthy choice. It would be honest and forthright. Having a legacy name is a burden as well as an opportunity. He should admit that he understands it both instead of trying to pretend that neither exist.

But Johnson took out an ad in the state bar newsletter asking for applicants…you mean to suggest that was disengenious (sp).

Boy and Girls, it’s not nepotism, favoritism or corruption, it’s patronage. It is a vital part of our two party system, how we reward our friends and punish our opposition, and no better or worse than soft money, public funding, church electioneering, or blogging.

It’s old school politics and I, frankly, like it. The appointment will be made in the light of day (it’s a presidential appointment, not some USDA bureaucrat slot) and voters will either allow it or punish the Dems come next time. Nice issue to beat on them with in 2010 Gov race or Sen Thune’s re-election, we sure don’t have to wait for Johnson’s next run.

Elections have consequences. They won, we lost. We can whine or suit up for next time.

The fix is in on this political appointment just as it has been in the past. Certainly nobody involved in the judicial process would ever entertain the fact that the most qualified people get the judicial appointments that routinely open up in the state. We can assume that most that apply are qualified. After that it is pure politics. This one is just a little more smelly than most because of the relationship. However, I am sure that the son is qualified and will do a competant job. It is the career people that really run the office in any event.
I am not sure how this can be compared to Bush as this certainly is not an elected position.

Where are all the liberals who were screaming about how corrupt and evil Bush was??? what about this corruption? what about this favoritism? You are hypocrits.

Troy:

(With fingers in my ears.) I’m not listening, I’m not listening.

Todd Epp
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net

Not all Democrats are liberal. Not all liberals are Democrats. Appointing Brendan Johnson would not be evil. Appointing any qualified candidate – Brendan Johnson included – is not corrupt. Favoritism, o.k. you have a point – IF Brendan gets the job you could say he had an advantage nobody else had. But so far, we don’t know whether he will get the job.

No hypocracy at this point, nor any favoritism. Come back and talk to us later, o.k. Barnyard?

Troy,

I think John’s objection was to Duh’s (bullshit) use of the name “Yobama.*”

BTW, I use the word “bullshit simply to call a spade a spade.

Your pal,

BF
________________________

* As when black folk run “the dozens” and be talkin’ ’bout yo mama.

Duh, Troy check it:

http://www.pimpdaddy.com/yomama/yomama-frames.shtml

Ok then, some trash talk for my main man Duh:

Hey Duh:

Yo mama’s so stupid, she spent twenty minutes lookin’ at an orange juice box because it said “concentrate”.

Yo mama’s so stupid, I put a Scratch-N’-Sniff sticker on the bottom of the pool and she drowned.

Yo mama’s so stupid, I asked her do tricks for me and she wagged her tail.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she has 1 toe & bought a pair of flip flops

Yo mama’s so stupid, she put lipstick on her forehead because she wanted to makeup her mind.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she asked me what yield meant. I said “Slow down” and she said “What… does…. yield… mean?”

Yo mama’s so stupid, she broke her neck at a flashing red light.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she put a phone up her ass and thought she was making a booty call.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she put out the cigarette butt that was heating your house.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she put on her glasses to watch 20/20.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she climbed over a glass wall to see what was behind it.

Yo mama’s so stupid, she thought Grape Nuts was an STD

etc.

Bill, if it was in response to “Yobama”, I understand as it is a direct racial reference. I do think that satirical reference to a guys name to make a point is o.k. in certain situations. Like opposing SDI and calling Reagan “Raygun” or oposing GWB as being like his dad and calling him Shrub. Like referencing Clinton’s personal morals and calling him BJ Clinton.

For me, I hope that we will be able to characterize stupid agenda items of Obama as “Mickey Mouse” or calling him “Dumbo” because dang, have you seen that guys ears? Even my five year-old grandson noticed them. One night during the campaign, I’m listening to Obama speak and I see him watching intently. I think to myself, “what is going through his head?” when all of a sudden he turns to me and says “Grandpa, he has big ears” and then looks away. Or my favorite is using his initials when something stinks. What I’m afraid of is that there will be some hyper-sensitivity with regard to Obama that will lead to accusations of racism that is not fair.

On the other hand, there are some that are more inflamatory than appropriate, like Osama or Hussein as it draws parallel to someone infinitely more evil than Obama. Kinda like this Catholic boy doesn’t mind others referring to the Pope as a “German Shepherd” in context of his orthodoxy even if not meant to be complimentary (clever satire) but think that “Hitler’s Pope” is way over the line.

You got it Troy. Humor yes, racism no.

Unless you’re up for a good bitch slappin’.

BTW, I understand that Obama is going to use his middle name when he’s sworn in, right hand on the same Bible as Lincoln used for his inauguration ceremony.

God bless America.

Our Country is losing its focus. It is all about who can get the most from the Government. WE are the Government, I have no idea how we are going to stop this thinking.

Johnson should not be allowed to be appointed.

Troy: Again, no racism intended but it underscores the hypocrisy of the demos that “we can trash your President without remorse, but don’t dare slander our beloved chosen one.” I have no respect for BHO, not because he’s black, white or green. I disagree with his stated policies, the fact that no one knows anything about him rather than his ties with less than desirable characters, his muslim heritage (if that makes me a biggot in this current time, then so be it) and his mythical approach to rallying everyone on promises of freebies, etc. It’s complete BS.

Bill: Good ones

Duh, you’re somethin’ else, I’ll give you that.

What was the topic of this post? I forget.

Good point. Kathy Lee Gifford’s sweat shops and the need for major college football play offs.

5:00: The topic is PP making up rules and wringing his hands about how only Republicans can honorably have (gasp) relatives who work in Government.

If Dems do it, it’s nepotism.

It’s so refreshing not to have to take that kind of small-minded prattle seriously any more, isn’t it?

Duh, I know that you weren’t being racist. Observed too many of your posts and know that is not you. And knew that I could point you out and you wouldn’t over-react. Just saying that some references are too close to racial slurs.

Just keep in mind, fellas, that it’s not the speaker who gets to decide what’s racist and what’s not. It’s the listener.

If you don’t believe me, go to the inner city and try some of that “Yobama” trash talk out in the ‘hood.

Remember, if it’s on the internet, it’s all over the world. And you’re representing the South Dakota mindset here, guys.

Troy may know who Duh is and why he’s not being racist, but LaShonda from New Orleans doesn’t.

And neither does Barack Hussein Obama.

“I’ve said it before, and will continue to say it – The naming of Brendan Johnson as U.S. Attorney in the same state his father holds the position of U.S. Senator is improper. No matter how much Senator Johnson’s son wants the job, no matter how much he might be qualified, the honorable thing to do is to take a pass until his dad is no longer U.S. Senator.”
That’s just your opinion, PP. And it does not mean you are right.

Bill:

LaShonda from New Orleans? Now who’s being racist here? How about James, Bob or Jane from Chicago?

Apparently calling our former President a terrorist, a liar, a knucklehead, an idiot, a butcher, a traitor is acceptable, but slang or a play off of the new Prez’s name or even using his middle name HUSSEIN is not. Hypocrisy runs wild on these pages and is very self-serving.

BHO just started and I think as time goes on, you’ll see who’s racist here.

I am sorry about getting this off-track. I hate when it happens. Let’s get back to the issue at hand.

As much as Brendan might want to spin this, this letter writing cover to the reality is a scam. As MHS says this is about patronage and it is not a bad thing. It is a way that President’s and their Attorney General are confident that they have people in the Districts who share their objectives and outlook.

Whether Tim Johnson is overtly active or inactive, does anyone think that the Justice Department will not discern who is the choice of the Senior Senator of the same party as the President? Does anyone think that Long, Munson, et. al. would really choose Brendan Johnson over Dick Casey (who was an early Obama supporter, a person of the most impeccable integrity as a lawyer and person, an long-time accomplished lawyer, and of world-class intellect) if Brendan weren’t the Senator’s son? Asked a different way, does anyone think these Republicans would even involve themselves in this process if Brendan were not the Senator’s son? The answer is no.

Before I go on, I need to say a few other things. While I don’t know Brendan personnally, I know people who do. They speak highly of him as a person and his abilities as a lawyer.

Whether US Attorneys or US Judges are conservative or liberal or moderate, all of us expect them to do their jobs with their “eyes blindfolded” with regard to whom justice is applied. Additionally, we need to believe they gained their position honorably (and patronage even with an appearance of nepotism is not inherently dishonorable).

If Brendan wants to gain the position in a way that gives honor to himself, his father, and the office that he seeks, I believe it imperative that he admit that he is gaining the position because of patronage, that patronage places on him a burden to faithfully and honorably dispense his responsibilities as opposed to something sinister or inappropriate, and that he will work hard and to the best of his ability to be a good US Attorney.

Frankly, to do this upfront and with honesty is the best political move as well. To do so under the pretenses of this letter-writing scam does a disservice to himself, his father, and the office.

Right, Duh, or John from South Dakota. I know you got my point — whether you care to admit it or not.

Clue for ya: when you’ve got your foot in it, just wipe off your shoe, and move on, man. Don’t go dancin’ ’round the same big dookey pile all the live long day.

And Troy, you’re just wrong no matter how many words you write to try to be right. There is no reason Brendan shouldn’t persue his career simply because his father is a senator. It’s reverse discrimination to argue otherwise. By your logic, no famous persons son should ever try to do anything with their lives (and maybe its because of arguments like yours that many of them don’t.)

Suppose Bach’s sons had decided they had better stay away from the music writing business for fear some might call it nepotism.

Bill, nothing in my remarks were intended to suggest Brendan shouldn’t pursue this position.

I have no problem with Brendan going to his dad and asking for the nomination. And I have no problem with his dad making the nomination. Nepotism by definition is favoring someone because they are family WITHOUT REGARD TO COMPETENCE. If I’ve said anything to indicate that I believe that Brendan is incompetant, it was not my intent. I’ve talked to a number of people who I trust who say that he is an able attorney with the skills and temperment to be a good prosecutor. If he has a weakness, he has no management experience. But a lack of experience is not an automatic disqualifier. In fact, to some degree almost every promotion involves a sacrifice of experience (how do you get experience until you get the job?). And on the flip side a lack of experience brings fresh ideas and is a motivator to work hard and do the job excellently.

Bill, just like I’m irritated by the nepotism charges against the Rounds (nobody has ever said that they have done their jobs anything but excellently. And as someone who has had to attract people to live in Pierre, the state has been well-served by the Governor’s brothers who desire to live in Pierre and make their talent available to the taxpayers), I don’t think Brendan’s nomination is about nepotism.

It is about patronage. And patronage has its place and works well. The reason home-state Senator’s nominate Judges and attorneys is because they know these people. Daschle nominated his very close friend Chuck Kornaman to the bench. Abdnor nominated his very close friend John Jones to the bench. In fact, the TD/CK and JA/JJ relationships were almost brotherly. But this was a good thing. Abdnor and Daschle nominated these damn good judges because their close personal relationship gave them unqualified confidence that they would make good judges. It is this very process that gives us the best judges and attorneys. Without it, it is more likely that they would be political activists selected by campaign people either in DC or locally because that is who campaign people know. The involvement of Senator’s introduce something deeper.

And, in this case, the blood relationship is only a complicating factor. But, my advice revolves around my belief that it shouldn’t be obfuscated by these “letters of recommendation” because it is an attempt to deny the honest reality of the situation.

Tim Johnson should nominate his son in the daylight and talk about how he does it with unreserved confidence that Brendan will do the job well and bring honor to the position. And, Brendan should accept that the blood relationship places on him a special burdent to prove the Senator’s (not his father’s) confidence in him and he will work as hard as it takes to make that a reality.

P.S. I wish I’d given the same advice to Governor Rounds with regard to his brothers. Just because I failed my Governor doesn’t mean I should fail my Senator and future U.S. Attorney.

Ok, Troy, I got it.

You may even be right, but in any case, thanks for the clarification.