Donald Trump has, from time to time, seemed adopt an “As Seen On TV” approach to staffing his White House. Current Secretary Of Defense/Signal addict Pete Hesgeth is the most obvious benefit of this clicker-in-hand largesse when it comes to choosing the nation’s leaders, but Trump has now QVC’d himself another administration official: Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, who’s just been tapped to serve as interim United States attorney for the District Of Columbia.
In announcing the Pirro pick via his Truth Social yelling platform, Trump did at least highlight some of her genuine credentials, including stints as a judge and district attorney in New York. But, because of who and what he is, Trump seemed far more interested in touting her TV ratings, noting Pirro “previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice With Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television.” (Originally created as a View-esque replacement after Glenn Beck’s style of chalkboard-rooted ranting became unfashionable, the series is, in fact, the highest-rated show on cable news, partly because competitors for the title kept knocking themselves out of contention.)
The Washington D.C. job is generally held up as one of the most prestigious U.S. Attorney positions in the whole government, given its centrality to the levers of power. It’s not clear, at present, how TV ratings or soundbite credentials factor into the workings of the job, although, hey, Pirro’s is still probably a better resumé than Trump’s last pick for the job. Ed Martin had no experience serving as a judge or prosecutor whatsoever when Trump tapped him, and is best known for serving as the chairman of the Missouri Republican Party and organizing “Stop The Steal” efforts on Trump’s behalf. Martin’s Senate confirmation got blown all to hell by Republic defections a couple of days ago, forcing Trump to reach for the warm, comforting glow of TV to fill the job instead.
[via Deadline]
