The Strategy of Delay

What is it about Bush appointees and their refusal to resign when they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar? It took Julie MacDonald over a month to leave the Fish and Wildlife Service after a damning Inspector General report. Many members of Congress, including several leading Republicans, have called for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign over the mass firings of US Attorneys and Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, is going through a lengthy investigation over his role in getting his girlfriend, a World Bank employee, a promotion and a hefty pay raise. Both men continue in their positions, vowing not to resign, even though their continued presence is obviously harming the organizations they are supposed to be leading.

The Wolfowitz matter is especially intriguing because his job is with an international organization. An article in today's NY Times implies at least one of the reasons for the delay might be to negotiate a better severance package.

While that dance is going on, however, Mr. Wolfowitz's reputation is being damaged severely:

At issue is a raise, promotion and promise of future raises that Mr. Wolfowitz arranged in 2005 for Shaha Ali Riza, his companion and a bank employee. Mr. Wolfowitz said that he did so at the behest of top bank officials and that they cleared his actions. Three of the officials who Mr. Wolfowitz says approved the arrangements for Ms. Riza are disputing that contention. [Emphasis added]

Additionally, several member nations of the World Bank have indicated their displeasure with the whole scandal by issuing thinly veiled threats:

In another sign of pressure on Mr. Wolfowitz, European officials said ministries in Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries had warned that their parliaments were so unhappy with the bank that they might withhold future funds if he remained in office.

Yet Mr. Wolfowitz continues on in his position as if he expects to be vindicated. Surely by this point he knows that is the most unlikely scenario available, doesn't he? If he doesn't, there is something dreadfully wrong with this supposedly brilliant man and he shouldn't be trusted to run a bank.

Of course, the World Bank can always fire Mr. Wolfowitz, messy as that would be. Mr. Gonzales doesn't face that work-a-day outcome. Congress will have to use a different pry bar to remove him. In the meantime, both men apparently are confident that their newly polished resumes will land them suitably gainful employment.