Common sense would dictate that the President of the United States would have the ability to shape his entire administration, including his foreign policy team.

But when it comes to the State Department, common sense doesn't apply. Even most senior positions are filled by careerists, people who do not change from one administration to the next. And because of union rules that even Jimmy Hoffa never would have had the guts to demand, State's career Foreign Service employees can't be fired by the Secretary of State— even for a felony conviction.

Sounds crazy, yet it is sadly true. Clinton's Secretary of State Warren Christopher ignored personnel policy and fired a woman who had plea-bargained to a felony count— of defrauding the State Department. She sued, she won, she got her job back, and got back pay. Why? Because, the court ruled, the Secretary of State can't fire even a convicted felon.

# posted by Squach : 2:42 AM   |