27 Responses to Alberto Gonzales finally lands a job.

1. Kathryn in MA July 7th, 2009 at 5:35 pm «

   maybe he can teach Palin something about the Department of Law in the White House.
2. GrievanceProject July 7th, 2009 at 6:15 pm «

   I was just reading about that comment, Kathryn. Palin remains the gift that keeps on giving.
3. acquarius74 July 7th, 2009 at 6:25 pm «

   hmmmm, Being a Texan – I figure there’s more to this story. Gonzo’s Dad worked for Poppy Bush when the old man first came to Texas and started in the oil patch. In Texas it ain’t what you know, it’s who you know.
4. GrievanceProject July 7th, 2009 at 6:43 pm «

   In Texas it ain’t what you know, it’s who you know.

   It ain’t just in Texas that ‘who’ trumps ‘what’ but I wouldn’t doubt for a minute that that is how he got the job. I’m still chuckling that even with all his high-powered connections it still took him nearly two years to land a part-time, albeit very well paying, poli-sci gig.
• acquarius74 July 7th, 2009 at 8:20 pm «

  There may be some clues in the names of the men on the Texas Tech board of regents.
• GrievanceProject July 7th, 2009 at 8:55 pm «

  Officers
  Larry K. Anders Chair
  Jerry E. Turner Vice Chair

  Term Expires January 31, 2011
  Larry K. Anders Dallas
  Mark Griffin Lubbock
  Daniel “Dan” T. Serna Arlington

  Term Expires January 31, 2013
  L. Frederick “Rick” Francis El Paso
  John F. Scovell Dallas
  Jerry E. Turner Blanco

  Term Expires January 31, 2015
  John Huffaker Amarillo
  Mickey L. Long Midland
  Nancy Neal Lubbock

  Student Regent Term Expires May 31, 2010
  Kyle Miller Plainview

  Staff
  Ben W. Lock Secretary
  Christina Martinez Executive Assistant

  Do any of these names mean anything to you?
• acquarius74 July 8th, 2009 at 4:52 am «

  None ring a bell, except maybe Mickey Long of Midland.

  From my notes (didn’t save link):

  “Mickey Long, 1976 ASU (Angelo State U, San Angelo, TX) grad from Midland, was recently appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the TexasTech U. System Board of Regents.”

  Rick Perry is just a W clone, a total Repub tool. If Long graduated from college 1976, he’s probably about the same age as W, and they probably attended school together during W’s boyhood in Midland. Gonzo is W’s boy. There must have been some kind of deal, either a large $$$$$ donation to fund a chair at Tech (Political Science?) by Poppy & W, or the Gov.’s control over the budget for Tech, or threat of removal of Chancellor Hance if he didn’t hire Gonzo. Maybe a combination of above.

  The peculiar thing is that Hance is the man who beat W in his first run for TX legislature in 1978. Now, W doesn’t take put-downs lightly. If Gonzo gets disbarred or indicted, then Hance can get kicked out for hiring Gonzo knowing his background.

  Jim Baker may be in the mix somewhere; Gonzo’s first job after Rice U. in Houston was with Baker’s law firm. Who can perceive the web weaved by the Murchison, Hunt, Bush, Baker Cabal???

  A man named Harold Simmons may be included. He totally funded the swift-boat ad campaign that shot down Kerry in 2004 ($2 million, I think). He also pledged some $millions to the W Liberry if he located it at SMU, along with funding a new chair at SMU, so, wallah, it’s to be located at SMU.

  All this is pure speculation and my thoughts on possibilities.
  
• GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 5:49 am «

  All this is pure speculation and my thoughts on possibilities.

  Even if the collective firepower of the Bushies was not used to get Mr. Gonzales this plum (part-time) poli-sci teaching job, the fact that he accepted this job clearly demonstrates the disdain he’s held even by his own. Even more so if it required the collective firepower of the Bushies to get him this job. And since $110,000.00 is a lot to pay someone to teach part-time, it’s quite possible that this job is just a legal form of hush money.
• acquarius74 July 8th, 2009 at 6:35 am «

  At trailblazersblog.com in 01/15/2009 article, Gov Rick Perry has gathered $4.7 Million in the last 6 months (July,2008-12/2008). Contributors listed show Larry Anders gave $25,000 and Mickey Long and wife Rene gave $10,000 5 times ($50,000). Different report: Perry’s finance committee for Midland lists Rene and Mickey Long and Clayton Williams and wife, Modesta. (C. Williams is in the TTech picture, if memory is correct.)

  They take care of Perry, and Perry takes care of their jobs, salaries/raises, state funds to T Tech, control over the minions. Long is in the LP gas business so he would tap the oil-rich elite in Midland. Big Oil leads back to Murchison, Hunt, Baker etc.. They didn’t want poison Gonzo in their own lawyers’ nest.

  I think you’ve hit on it – hush money. Income to raise his family as long as he keeps his mouth shut. (and threats if he doesn’t??).
• GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 3:01 pm «

  I think you’ve hit on it – hush money. Income to raise his family as long as he keeps his mouth shut. (and threats if he doesn’t??).

  That explains the $110,000.00 salary for a part-time teaching gig unless that’s the going rate for part-time profs at TT. Does anyone have any idea about compensation rates at TT? Maybe there’s something that can be gleaned from TT employment opportunity postings. I looked here and found only one part-time teaching position and it required the applicant to be an M.D. None of the job postings listed the proposed.salary.
• acquarius74 July 8th, 2009 at 3:29 pm «

  I searched for professors’ salaries at TT here. I left the info in the form, it may have disappeared. Info given is At TT for full profs, male, 2008-2009 term. ($104,000 and a bit more). So, why is Gonzo worth $110,000 for part-time? . Wonder if this chair was created for him, did TT even have a political science department before this fiasco?
• acquarius74 July 8th, 2009 at 3:37 pm «

  I googled: Texas Tech Univ Political Science. Got pic of a building, its address, a ph and a fax # so, I guess there was a dept before Gonzo.
• GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 3:44 pm «

  I mistyped the salary amount in my comment: it should have been $100,000.00.

  Regardless, that’s still a lot of dough to ‘a junior-level seminar course.’ These are the only duties listed in the press release that are in addition to teaching that one class:

  => Assist TT and ASU with recruiting and retaining first generation and underrepresented students.
  => Work with TT’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement to plan a first generation and minority student leadership training and development program.
  => Guest lecture to classes across the campus.

  Please keep him away from the legal ethics classes.
5. mui1 July 8th, 2009 at 11:57 am «

   “Anytime I can get a former cabinet member to work for the university, I will,” Hance said. “He can teach (students) about government, about goals, about diversity. Here’s a guy whose parents were migrant workers, and he went on to one of the highest offices in the land.”

   Holy smoking f*ck. I’ve been away for a week and I feel like Rip van winkle.
   I’m sure there’s a lot more Abu could teach, like: how to screw the Constitution 101. Like: Geneva Convention, how quaint! 101. Like: political hiring and firing US attorneys 101.
• GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 3:01 pm «

  Nothing more than SSDD.
6. libbyliberal July 8th, 2009 at 2:30 pm «

   In a sane world he would be in jail.
• GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 3:02 pm «

  All roads lead back to the need for criminal investigations.
7. GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 3:19 pm «

   Here’s TT’s press release regarding their new hire [Emphasis mine.]:

   Written by Sally Logue Post

   Gonzales will assist both Texas Tech University and Angelo State University with recruiting and retaining first generation and underrepresented students. He will work with Texas Tech’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement in the planning of a first generation and minority student leadership training and development program.

   He also will teach a junior-level seminar course, “Contemporary Issues in the Executive Branch” in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech. As a visiting professor Gonzales will guest lecture to classes across the campus.

   “I am excited that Alberto Gonzales is bringing his experience to Texas Tech,” said Kent Hance, Texas Tech University chancellor. “His own upbringing in Houston as part of a migrant family with eight children makes him qualified to tell underrepresented Texas students that college is possible. He will help Texas Tech and ASU prepare our students for success and to be future leaders in the State of Texas and beyond.”

   Lawrence Schovanec, interim dean of Texas Tech’s College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Judge Gonzales brings a unique experience to our classroom. His career in law, government and public service will provide our political science students a rich perspective of the executive branch and issues and challenges facing our nation. ”

   Gonzales joined the Air Force after graduating from high school. From there, he sought and received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. He transferred to Rice University and majored in political science. He graduated from Harvard Law School and joined the Houston law firm of Vinson & Elkins. Then Texas Gov. George Bush recruited him as a special advisor on border issues and relations with Mexico. Gonzales also served Bush as general counsel. He was appointed Texas Secretary of State and elected to the Texas Supreme Court. When Bush was elected president, he again called on Gonzales to serve as White House counsel and later was appointed Attorney General.

   As I said before, at least they’re keeping him away from the law school. We sure don’t need his ‘rich perspective’ there.
8. GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 4:01 pm «

   Nice. Someone from TT visited the original post at my blog today:

   Domain Name ttu.edu (Educational)
   IP Address 129.118.55.# (Texas Tech University)
   ISP Texas Tech University
   Continent : North America
   Country : United States (Facts)
   State : Texas
   City : Lubbock
   Lat/Long : 33.61, -101.8213 (Map)
   Language unknown
   Operating System Microsoft WinXP
   Browser Internet Explorer 7.0
   Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0; InfoPath.2; MS-RTC LM 8)
   Javascript disabled
   Time of Visit Jul 8 2009 10:34:00 am
   Last Page View Jul 8 2009 10:34:00 am
   Visit Length 0 seconds
   Page Views 1
   Referring URL unknown
   Visit Entry Page http://grievanceproj…finally-lands-a-job/
   Visit Exit Page http://grievanceproj…finally-lands-a-job/
• acquarius74 July 8th, 2009 at 5:39 pm «

  Did they return to read comments. Don’t you know those students with brains are livid? Those “underrepresented” students in TX means Latinos. (names not so nice for them in the Midland/San Angelo area…some time ago it was still the Patron system, and definitely was when W was growing up there. I’m sure Gonzo grew up treating W as the Patron’s son…properly submissive. Now, Gonzo was desperate and the old Patron is still alive…
9. GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 6:25 pm «

   I’m sure Gonzo grew up treating W as the Patron’s son…properly submissive. Now, Gonzo was desperate and the old Patron is still alive…/blockquote>

   Same as it ever was. And again, Gonzales proves why noone will hire him as an attorney. $100,000.00 may be a lot for the job he took, but just with what he knows about what really happened in the Bush White House – all the dimes he could drop – he should have been able to work a much better job at much better pay.
10. GrievanceProject July 8th, 2009 at 6:31 pm «

    I think you’ve hit on it – hush money. Income to raise his family as long as he keeps his mouth shut. (and threats if he doesn’t??).

    With that group, threats are a given.
• acquarius74 July 9th, 2009 at 4:40 am «

  Went to your link….we are honored to have you among us. Welcome to The Lake. I believe that true Journalists are captives of Truth; the paid wannabes are just propaganda prostitutes.
• GrievanceProject July 9th, 2009 at 5:17 am «

  Thanks for the visit and the kinds words.
• acquarius74 July 9th, 2009 at 6:50 am «

  Way back when I was very young, long before Peck’s book, I found Frost’s poem. Now, far down the shady side of the slope, it is more meaningful and precious to me. Pretty safe bet that it is also among your treasures.

  Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

  The Road Not Taken

  TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
  And sorry I could not travel both
  And be one traveler, long I stood
  And looked down one as far as I could
  To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

  Then took the other, as just as fair,
  And having perhaps the better claim,
  Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
  Though as for that the passing there
  Had worn them really about the same, 10

  And both that morning equally lay
  In leaves no step had trodden black.
  Oh, I kept the first for another day!
  Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
  I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

  I shall be telling this with a sigh
  Somewhere ages and ages hence:
  Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
  I took the one less traveled by,
  And that has made all the difference.

  …

  May your road rise up to greet you;
  The sun shine softly upon your face,
  And a gentle breeze be ever at your back…
• GrievanceProject July 9th, 2009 at 7:06 am «

  As a classic ‘left-brainer,’ I tend towards the analytical, both in how I write and in what I read. It’d been a long time since I’ve read those lines, acquarius. Thank you. Your comment gave me more than my minimum daily allowance of goosebumps.
• acquarius74 July 9th, 2009 at 7:24 am «

  [clapping, smiling] – exactly my intent!