Tyler Whitley reports this morning on a rhetorical shift from the Governor-Elect that may result in a early resolution of the potential conflict-of-interest controversy over Bob McDonnell’s designated Commerce Secretary Bob Sledd.
Whitley notes that while McDonnell is absolutely clear that he still wants Sledd in the cabinet, the Governor-Elect noted yesterday that he does not want the appointment to be “bogged down in controversy.”
This is, of course, exactly what the Democrats plan to do, transforming Sledd’s interest in remaining on corporate boards into a major point of contrast with the GOP on governmental ethics.
Whitley observes that the change in tone may be a signal that Sledd is willing to give up the corporate board seats in order to let the nomination proceed.
I’ve known and admired Bob Sledd as a public-spirited corporate leader for a number of years. I can’t imagine that he relishes the thought of a politically charged confirmation procedure.
Steps that would be enable his appointment to proceed with “getting bogged down in controversy” would be good for all concerned, especially the Commonwealth.
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