Inexperienced 28-Year-Old Bush Staffer Appointed to Critical Homeland Security P

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S

Thu, 9 Mar 2006 22:15:43 -0800 (PST)

Boy, I feel safer now, don't you??

 

 

 

 

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/09/homeland-security-appointment/

 

 

Inexperienced 28-Year-Old Bush Staffer Appointed to Critical Homeland

Security Post

 

The Bush administration has appointed 28-year-old former White House

staffer Doug Hoelscher as the executive director of the Homeland

Security Advisory Committees.

 

In his new position, Hoelscher will gather expert advice " on behalf of

the president and the Homeland Security secretary " from 20 other

advisory boards covering " key areas of homeland security, including

threats to infrastructure and preventing terrorist attacks that use

weapons of mass destruction. "

His experience?

 

Hoelscher has no management experience, a review of his

professional credentials shows. He came to government in 2001 as a

low-level White House staffer, arranging presidential travel,

according to news reports. He earned $30,000 a year, salary documents

show.

 

He discussed his job as President Bush's travel arranger with the Des

Moines Register in 2002:

 

Doug Hoelscher, a University of Iowa political science major and

native of Williams, …is living out his dream at age 25. He works as a

political coordinator for the president, dealing mostly with Bush's

domestic travel. " Ever since a young age I've had an interest in

politics, " he said.

 

Despite Hoelscher's apparent total lack of professional management or

security experience, the press release announcing his appointment

praises his qualifications and claims he will now be providing

" strategic counsel " to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff:

 

" The department relies heavily on the expertise and advice of our

advisory committees, " said Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for

Policy. " Outside perspectives benefit the policy and decision making

process, and the Administration has named a qualified and talented

professional to cultivate these partnerships. Doug will provide

strategic counsel to the Secretary and increase overall coordination

between department leadership and our homeland security partners, and

I look forward to his contributions and counsel. "

 

http://www.thinkprogress.org/