Politics Ensnares Ex-Political Aide
Former White House political director Sara Taylor has learned some lessons since she received a Senate subpoena on her return home from a European vacation.
Even though she resigned, normalcy is still out of reach. E-mail is never really private. The professional liability insurance she purchased doesn’t cover her legal costs.
The 32-year-old Taylor was back in the spotlight yesterday when she appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee as it investigates the firings of at least eight U.S. attorneys. Her lawyer was by her side as she weighed whether executive privilege barred her from answering questions. (See this ABAJournal.com post for details.)
Taylor spoke to the Washington Post about her rapid rise in the Bush administration and her difficult position as the investigation into the firings heats up.
“It’s a very difficult position to be in,” she told the Post. “The president has exerted executive privilege and I have great respect for the president. The problem for you as an individual is that this comes at a huge personal cost financially.”
Taylor is particularly embarrassed about an e-mail she sent in which she described fired U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins as “lazy.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Mr. Cummins,” Taylor told the committee, according to a Reuters account. “It was unkind and unnecessary.”
