Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi is being guided through the Senate confirmation process by a lawyer named Chad Mizelle who was previously the 2017-2018 general counsel to Rod Rosenstein in Main Justice. Within the former position at DOJ Chad Mizelle was the guy who wrote the set of scope memos that authorized the Mueller investigation…. However, I am assured by those watching, it’s no big deal.
I’m reminded of a conversation with Eric Dublier Esq, when he said, essentially, “when analyzing motives of DC lawyers, remind yourself they do the thing they are paid to do.” The compass heading on a DC lawyer points directly to his/her bank account. Read this entire outline to truly understand just how accurate Dublier was.
WASHINGTON DC – As Pam Bondi prepares for confirmation as attorney general, she is working with a top lawyer from President-elect Donald Trump’s first term: Chad Mizelle, formerly acting general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security.
[…] Mizelle has been in meetings with Bondi in Florida as she prepares to lead the Justice Department, according to a person with knowledge of the preparations. At the beginning of Trump’s first term, he was counsel to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
[…] Mizelle is general counsel for Affinity Partners, the investment firm helmed by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. And like Bondi, he has Florida roots: Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, his wife, is a Trump-appointed federal judge in Tampa. (read more)
After Mizelle left Main Justice, he eventually landed as acting General Counsel for DHS helping to organize the legal framework to deal with illegal immigration. It’s likely Mizelle is assisting Pam Bondi in preparations for questions about deportation proceedings that will be handled by Tom Homan.
As with all things lawyerly, you decide that Mizelle’s handler role for Bondi is during this confirmation process, and ultimately what this would indicate.
All opinions do not eliminate the reality that Mizelle, the general counsel to Rod Rosenstein, created the legal framework for Special Counsel Robert Mueller and Andrew Weissmann.
On May 17, 2017, Rod Rosenstein authorized the Mueller investigation. This is the scope memo that affirmed and authorized the specific targeting.
This is general counsel Chad Mizelle’s handiwork, on behalf of Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein:
Okay, so that 2017 scope memo is a little concerning -especially in hindsight- however, Mizelle was just doing his job and facilitating the intent of his boss in Main Justice, Rod Rosenstein. Seriously, I get it. He’s paid to do the thing, so he does the thing.
However, we are not quite done in the bizarro world of internecine DC political relationships.
Pam Bondi worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, actually she still does; as of this writing she has not resigned her position at Ballard.
The legal firm of Ballard Partners is where AG nominee Pam Bondi and President Trump’s incoming Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, intersect. Wiles left the lobbying group, Bondi still works there.
Now, here’s a remarkable coincidence….
There is currently a background conversation about Pam Bondi needing to recuse herself from any legal cases involving any of Ballard Partners lobbying clients. The list of companies with legal interface with the U.S. government is rather extensive and includes healthcare firms, tech groups, and a host of fortune 500 companies. {Details Here}
Pam Bondi represented a lot of corporate clients. Pam Bondi still works for Ballard Partners.
AG Jeff Sessions had to recuse himself from stuff, and it appears AG Pam Bondi will have to recuse herself from stuff.
Within the Bondi portfolio at Ballard Partners, there’s a name that is also in the headlines, UnitedHealthcare.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was recently assassinated in New York City.
What a strange world of coincidences.
Six degrees of Kevin Bacon, I guess.
