21 Apr 2004 Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

David Almasi sends over this note:

Elaine R. Jones, the outgoing director of the NAACP’s legal arm, is being feted in New York City on April 22. Her resignation was announced shortly after a complaint was filed against her with the Virginia Bar Association. The complaint was related to information found in a leaked Senate Judiciary Committee memo in which Ted Kennedy staffer Olati Johnson informed the senator that Jones had called seeking a delay in the confirmation of a Bush appeals court nominee so that the NAACP’s perceived upper hand in the University of Michigan affirmative action case would not be jeopardized (Johnson, who once worked for the NAACP, is now at the ACLU).

The complaint against Jones was dismissed just prior to the Jones tribute. It’s not certain if the dismissal was due to the brilliant work of her legal team (which included Bill Clinton’s attorney and a former Virginia governor) or barrister collegiality, but the timing is certainly odd.

Here are Project 21 member Mychal Massie’s thoughts upon the occasion of Jones’ retirement:

“It is important to not forget the real reason for Elaine Jones’ resignation. Her resigning has nothing to do with ‘a job well done, it’s time to move on to the next big thing.’ Rather, it has everything to do with her clandestine influence over the liberals on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the subsequent call for her investigation by several groups — including Project 21 — before Virginia Bar Association. Elaine Jones is neither hero nor a champion of righteous causes; her reported actions are, in fact, representative of the quintessential ill befalling America and American government.”

By the way, can anyone doubt the Elaine Jones story would be page one if she had worked for Bill Frist?