Steele reaches back to Ehrlich team for talent
Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has chosen another veteran of Gov. Robert Ehrlich's administration, Boyd K. Rutherford, for a key post at national party headquarters in Washington.
Rutherford, 52, will be the chief administrative officer of the Republican National Committee, a job that will put him in day-to-day charge of operations in DC.
Steele, in a prepared statement, said he was "very pleased to have an individual with Boyd's credentials" at the RNC.
Rutherford, who served as assistant secretary for administration in President George W. Bush's administration, has a reputation as a tough-minded boss who isn't afraid to say no.
He served in Annapolis as Secretary of General Services in Ehrlich's executive council from 2003 to 2006. Prior to joining the governor's administration he spent two years as an administrator in Washington with the General Services Administration, which manages the federal government's real estate dealings.
A native of Washington, DC, Rutherford graduated from Howard University and got a law degree from the University of Southn California. He was a member of the Howard County Republican Central Committee for six years and a member of the Howard County chapter of the NAACP.
He also served on the Baltimore City Brownfields Redevelopment Council from 1998 to 2000, according to his official biography in the Maryland Manual.
Comments
Mr. Rutherford personifies a fundamental contradiction in the GOP's message.
How can he reconcile his career as a government bureaucrat cum political operative with the Republican party's anti-government, pro-small business rhetoric?
Not unlike his new boss, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, and his old boss, former Gov. Ehrlich, Mr. Rutherford can only blow smoke about the ills of government and the virtues of small business from the cozy cloister of a series of high paying government and political jobs.
Voters who bought that canard 30 years ago when Ronald Reagan sold it have wisened up, which is why Republicans can muster sizable radio audiences, but they can't win elections.
- Steve Lebowitz
Posted by: justdafacts | April 13, 2009 5:08 PM
Leave it to Steve (Justafacts) to chime in on Mike Steele.
I give him kudos though for his long long long long long long long long long long long long long long long long long memory.
Even O'Malley has started to forget Ehrlich and Steele.
Take a cue Steve.
As for the substance of the story? Mike is too nice a guy to be too involved in the store front of politics.
Mike, take care of your family and your legacy will endure as the man you are. Stay in politics and you will be crucified by the likes of Steve.
Posted by: Fed Up | April 13, 2009 7:06 PM
Mike may be a nice guy personally. I wouldn't know. But professionally he is an empty suit. A corrupt one at that.
Posted by: Chum | April 14, 2009 10:36 AM