Got to love the front page of the NY POst today!!!

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/62721.htm



MIKE'S GAL TAKES BULLET

By GEOFF EARLE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHOOTOUT: The anti-gun rhetoric of Mayor Bloomberg, with girlfriend Diana Taylor, infuriated National Rifle Association bigshots

February 1, 2006 -- WASHINGTON — The powerful National Rifle Association killed the appointment of Mayor Bloomberg's girlfriend to a top federal post in retaliation for Hizzoner's campaign against the gun group, Senate sources said yesterday.
Diana Taylor, the state banking commissioner, had been widely seen as a shoo-in as late as last week to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which oversees the nation's banks.

But the NRA wound up maneuvering behind the scenes to block her nomination at the last minute, to send a message to her billionaire boyfriend, sources told The Post.

"It's obvious the NRA hasn't been pleased with the mayor's campaign against guns," a Senate aide said.

"They wanted to do a little bit of political payback . . . They just killed it."

The apparent revenge attack comes after Bloomberg made a "war on guns" a top priority for his new term, taking several high-profile swipes at the lobbying organization amid a Post campaign for tougher anti-gun laws.

In his inaugural address last month, Bloomberg — in what aides called a reference to the NRA — said, "To those who distort our laws and aid and abet hardened criminals, know this: We will not rest until we secure all the tools we need to protect New Yorkers from the scourge of illegal guns."

 

The mayor also ripped lawmakers who give in to the gun lobby, calling them "cowards," and this month slammed them for limiting the activities of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

"It shows the power of one advocacy organization and, I would argue, the cowardice of people who succumb to their pressure," he said at the time.

The mayor declined comment yesterday.

Any of the NRA's numerous allies in the Republican-led Senate could have placed a "hold" on Taylor's nomination to stall it indefinitely.

Even the threat of such a hold could have been enough to send the White House back to the drawing board because Bush officials want the post filled as soon as possible.

An aide to a Senate Banking Committee member said the White House "wanted to move real quickly on this thing."

The NRA insisted it was not involved in nixing Taylor's nomination.

"We didn't have anything to do with it — that's outside our purview," spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said. "Our issue is with the mayor, and not anyone else."

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who sits on the NRA board, hinted that there was another reason for Taylor's doomed FDIC bid.

"I think she has more baggage than a friend who's the mayor of New York [at battle with] the NRA," he told The Post last night. "That's what I've been told."

Taylor, who completed the paperwork for the nomination and underwent a background check, was said to be "befuddled" that her nomination fell through.

Banking-industry sources were equally surprised.

One source said that Wall Street was "excited" about the nomination and that Taylor herself had made eager calls to Washington to check on the status of her expected nomination.

"Everyone's absolutely mystified by this," the source said. "This only happens when some new piece of information comes out. No one changes their mind this late in the process, and the administration doesn't change its mind."

Senate Banking Committee staffers had been told to expect Taylor's nomination soon, and learned that it had gone kaput Friday.


Additional reporting by Deborah Orin in D.C., Fredric U. Dicker in Albany & David Seifman in N.Y.

[email protected]

Now I know why I am a lifetime NRA member.

They need to get their asses over the jersey and deal with our furor, corzine.

This story is complete BS, IMO.  Just another weak attempt by the anti-gunners to demonize the NRA and spread the misconception that it is too powerful.  It's a strategic maneuver to try to limit NRA power, in light of the recent lobbiest scandals. You can't go accusing people or an organization of "maneuvering behind the scenes to block a nomination" without PROOF.  The story doesn't even quote anyone by name and the only source is a "senate aide", i.e. someone who pours coffee or plans fundraisers. It could have been an anti-gun Democratic Senator's aide who came up with the conspiracy theory to further their anti-gun agenda. Seems like another BS story right out of the Jayson Blair play book.

I don't get it, I thought the post was supposed to be a right-wing paper, hell it's owned by Murdoch, but it's been on a real anti-gun tear recently.

Follow up from today's NY Post.

RETURN FIRE AT NRA FOR SNIPING AT MIKE'S GAL

By GEOFF EARLE in Washington and RODDY BOYD in New York

February 2, 2006 -- Two congressmen yesterday blasted the "insane" and "disgusting" way the National Rifle Asso ciation killed the ap pointment of Mayor Bloomberg's girl friend to a top fed eral post.
"It is simply in sane that someone as qualified as Diana Taylor would be pre vented from serving our na tion by the most reactionary and zealous force in Washington — the NRA," Rep. Anthony Weiner said.

Added Rep. Jerrold Nadler: "What a disgusting thing to do."

The congressmen, who are both New York City Democrats, were reacting to the disclosure that the gun lobby had managed to shoot down Taylor's expected appointment to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Taylor, who has been New York state's banking superintendent for more than two years, had been considered a shoo-in for the FDIC chairmanship — until the NRA blocked her in revenge for Bloomberg's "war on guns," The Post reported yesterday.

"If anyone still needed evidence that the Bush administration does the bidding of the gun lobby, then this is it," said Weiner.

Sources say the White House is upset that the Taylor nomination blew up in such a public fashion.



A senator who sits on the NRA board denied that the group uses its legislative might on issues not directly related to gun control.

"The one thing the NRA has done, historically over time, is to play in their own area," Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) said. "They're very narrow in what they do."

The NRA yesterday said someone else torpedoed Taylor.

"It's not us," spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said. "We really did ask around, and it's not us."

But Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said of the killed nomination, "It's so fishy."

Taylor, who has more than 20 years in investment banking and government, is highly regarded in her field.

"She is no doubt a qualified and knowledgeable pro," said Jacob Frenkel, a former federal prosecutor and senior trial attorney for the enforcement division of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"There should be no barrier to her success at FDIC. The problem is she is a victim of entrenched political dynamics."

Taylor was expected to replace Donald Powell, who resigned as FDIC head last fall to lead post-Hurricane Katrina federal rebuilding efforts in the Gulf region.

A Senate aide said the NRA "wanted to do a little political payback . . . They just killed it."

[email protected]

I didn't agree with the Jihad the NY Post went on against Silver and the Democrats fearing that it would cause a backlash. It appears Silver is now turning the tables on the Republicans with their anti-gun bills. If Pataki and the Republicans cave like they did in 2000 we are fooked.

Pure Bull Crap...The NRA did not do this and someone is trying to take the light off the people that did. From the little I know and the people I have talked to. There is no way the NRA could have enough clout to do this.

Figure it this way if they could stop someone from getting a position why can't they stop Anti Gun Laws. Why can't they stop the people that take positions in Gov who deny our 2A rights. I wish they did have this power because lots of Senators and Congresspeople would be shaking in their shoes...

HiRam is right...There was no reason to stop her unless something came up and he is right about why good people refuse to go into Politics.

I didn't want to say anything because I have no proff. You are the 5th person that said something about the tabacco Industry.