Here's another entry for the revolving door file: Politico's Jonathan Allen (pictured at right), formerly of Congressional Quarterly and former Sen. Paul Sarbanes' office, will take over as the top staffer at Debbie Wasserman Schultz's DWS PAC, according to Roll Call (h/t e-mail tipster Bob Foster).
For his part, Allen, whose wife works as the communications director for freshman Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), found it an offer he couldn't refuse:
"I wouldn't go work for just anyone," Allen said. "She wanted me to come work for her, and it was impossible for me to say no. She has a heart of gold and resolve of steel. ... I find that inspiring."
Roll Call's Steven T. Dennis has the story here, but only the lead paragraph is available to non-subscribers. Below is an excerpt, courtesy of Foster:
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) has hired reporter Jonathan Allen to run her growing leadership political action committee.
"The Congresswoman as of Jan. 1 will be bringing Jonathan Allen on as the executive director of her DWS PAC - Democrats Win Seats," her spokesman Jonathan Beeton said. "Given how much she's been doing of late, it was important to bring on somebody with a lot of political expertise and experience who really knows Members well and has a knowledge of the history of the institution."
Allen worked most recently at Politico after stints at Congressional Quarterly, which is now part of the CQ-Roll Call Group; the Hill newspaper; and the office of former Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.). Wasserman Schultz wears many hats in the Democratic Caucus. She is the vice chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in charge of incumbent retention, is a chief deputy whip and chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. She also made headlines when she revealed earlier this year that she had undergone treatment for breast cancer. She is widely expected to be in the running to either chair the DCCC or vie for another leadership post, and leadership PACs are a powerful tool for directly aiding fellow Members of Congress.
Wasserman Schultz's PAC raised and spent more than $500,000 in the last election cycle but has not previously had an executive director.
"The Congresswoman has a growing political operation, and she raises a lot of money to give to other candidates," Allen said. "Over time, that gets bigger and bigger and she wanted somebody to work on that operation full time."
Photo via Politico.com.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters. You can follow him on Twitter here
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POLITICO - Beltway Scribes Who Can use A Computer
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:36 ET by SgthulkaGeez - This is a huge shock.
A Politco-type pulls the rip-cord only to dind that there's no chute packed.
Politico - "We're biased, only we show it a little less"
At Last. I Can Shove This In the Face of....
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 16:28 ET by farstar99At last, I can shove this in the face of all those Democrats who protest that Politico is non-partisan.
I've gotten tired of letting them know it was started by and run by refugees who found working for the WASHINGTON POST too limiting in their expression of their political slant.
The only difference between
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 17:21 ET by ThoreauThe only difference between Politico and the other liberal media is they don't delete your posts until you criticize them directly. Whereas the rest of the liberal sites delete your posts no matter who you criticize.
I would say that's a step forward, but I'd be lying.
Rat jumps aboard a sinking
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:41 ET by Jack BauerRat jumps aboard a sinking ship.
This is a lot more usual than you might think these days.
Oh well, communists are, after all, birds of a feather
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:49 ET by R D Helm...and at the end of the day, they always flock together.
-Dave
Our elected representatives have failed us.
Is she that really annoying
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:55 ET by BKeyserIs she that really annoying woman with kinda big hair who shows up on Fox once in a while?
Not Allen! I know who that is! His picture is on the thread. I'm talking about that "Democrats Whining Sanctimoniously" person...
warning johnathon
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:58 ET by cajun2After the elections in 2010, even Joe Bidden won't be able to "save" a job for you.
Thanks for the bloated
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 15:00 ET by Jack BauerThanks for the bloated photo of Jonathan 'Fat Bloke' Allen!
I always wondered where Peter Griffin from Family Guy worked when he wasn't employed as a cartoon character.
Could be
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 15:08 ET by doug1950We think of her as yet another snowbird carpetbagger who has migrated to FL so she could become a career politician and live in Washington D.C. As to her hair, it is more frizzy than big. Like finger in the light socket frizzy, while he looks like a big dud.
Wasserman-Schultz is Nanzi
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 16:07 ET by d1carterWasserman-Schultz is Nanzi Pelosi in training...
South Florida
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 15:16 ET by iveseenitallI'm always amazed at how South Florida keeps electing "liberal" Democrats. With a heavy population of the aged, I wonder how they feel about the "healthcare" bill Wasserman Schultz is supporting. I don't think they'll appreciate the cuts in Medicare which are on there way, do you?
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
It's maddening if you live here, trust me
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 15:22 ET by BlondeI can't stand her. I can't figure why she's so in Obama's corner, she was Hillary's Florida Campaign Chair....and Obama's, that other libtard Critter from Palm Beach.....Rob Wexler, very quietly (very, very quietly) resigned.
Which leaves me asking....how big is THAT scandal?
I hope he fails, too.
"She has a heart of gold and
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 15:46 ET by mattm"She has a heart of gold and resolve of steel, and she pays well...."
Oh gosh...Color me
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 20:18 ET by bigtimerOh gosh...Color me shocked!
He's a perfect fit.
Politico is and has been nothing but another arm of the 'D' party from Day One...all you had to do was look at who was involved and where they came from etc.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart