Olympian Fail: Valerie Jarrett’s Third Strike?

by Adam Baldwin

Valerie Jarrett, Barack Obama’s long-time Chicago crony and current White House special advisor, may have just struck out with her ill advice for the president’s IOC blunder in Copenhagen. 

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As LA Examiner’s Kelli Kobor noted yesterday: 

It is unlikely that the Obamas will eject a close and trusted friend from their inner circle over a relatively minor (as these things go) political embarrassment.  But it is an open question whether Jarrett can withstand a steady string of scandals, of which her handling of the Olympics is only the most recent.  Just two months ago she was wounded by her association with “Green Jobs Czar” Van Jones, who had to resign when it was revealed that he had signed more than one petition accusing George W. Bush’s White House of complicity in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  

Ms. Kobor wisely notes strikes 1 & 3. 

But let us not lose sight of Ms. Jarrett’s strike #2:  The NEA conference calls and meetings, for which Ms. Jarrett may have authorized her deputies Buffy Wicks, Tina Tchen et al. to participate in order to incompetently (unlawfully?) promote the president’s legislative agenda. 

California Rep. Darrell Issa, Ranking Minority Member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent Ms. Jarrett a letter September 22, requesting:

 In order to assist the Committee with its investigation of this matter [NEA call], please provide the following information by close of business on Friday, October 2, 2009:  

1. A full and complete list of all participants on the August 10, 2009 conference call.  

2. A full and complete explanation of how invitees to the August 10,2009 conference call were selected.  

3. A full and complete description of any consultation of, or opinion provided by, the Office of the White House Counsel or any other advisor regarding the legal implications of the August 10, 2009 conference call specifically and/or the relationship between the White House and NEA generally.  

4. A full and complete description of how the August 10,2009 conference call was arranged, including which White House staff initiated contact with, or were contacted by, NEA staff, the role of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and the role of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  

5. A full and complete explanation of the White House’s expectations for call participants in response to the August 10, 2009 conference call.  

6. A full and complete list of, any material produced by call participants in response to the August I0, 2009 conference call.

Whether Ms. Jarrett complied with the Oct. 2 deadline remains to be seen. 

Likewise, whether her reply will satisfactorily answer Rep. Issa’s questions remains to be seen. 

However, what is clear in terms of Valerie Jarrett’s political ‘at-bat’:  

Van Jones: wheelhouse-take — strike 1. 

NEA: foul to left — strike 2. 

Olympian Fail: lurching pratfall swing at a knuckler in dirt — steee-rike 3, Yer Out! 

Time will tell, but Ms. Kobor’s insight “The fallout from last Friday’s drama in Copenhagen may be just beginning” looks like a Home Run. 

Exit question: What might Mrs. Clinton be planning at State?


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Posted Oct 5th 2009 at 1:55 pm in Politics | 78 Comments