Bush circumvents hearing process to appoint unqualified head of refugee response team

George W. Bush continues his pattern of appointing unqualified people and bypassing rules and regulations that get in his way by appointing Ellen Sauerbrey to the post of assistant secretary of state for population, refugees, and migration, a post that is responsible for a $700 million budget to address global refugee crises.

Sauerbrey began confirmation hearings in October 2005, but Sen. Barbara Boxer put off the vote until after the winter break. Bush took the opportunity to appoint her and about a dozen other candidates as "recess appointments" while Congress was out of session.

There's more on Sauerbrey's lack of qualifications and her conservative views at Salon.