Will Tommy's unqualified cronyoversee the next national disaster?

Have you heard or read about avian (bird) flu breaking out in Southeast Asia, or have you been too preoccupied with Harriet, the Hammer, Katrina and Rita?

It's scary stuff. And it's even scarier when you learn that the person in charge of U. S. preparations for and response to a nationwide or global avian flu pandemic is another well-connected Republican lawyer who's underqualified for the job.

This one comes with Wisconsin connections.

Stewart Simonson, Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP) at the Dept. of Health and Human Services, is the go-to guy for a flu pandemic, according to the National Response Plan, prepared under the direction of our protectors at the Dept. of Homeland Security.

Simonson's credentials? FOT -- Friend of Tommy.

Transparent Grid, a blog that has been following the avian flu issue closely, reports:

Like Michael Brown at FEMA, [Simonson] is a lawyer who was close to a political benefactor. Simonson graduated from the University of Wisconsin law school in 1994 and served as legal counsel to Tommy Thompson while he was governor of Wisconsin from 1995 to 1999. Simonson then followed Thompson to Washington when the governor was appointed as head of HHS. Simonson’s bio at HHS states that “from 2001-2003, he was the HHS Deputy General Counsel and provided legal advice and counsel to the Secretary on public health preparedness matters. Prior to joining HHS, Simonson served as corporate secretary and counsel for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK).”

Simonson may be marginally more qualified for this job than Michael Brown was at FEMA, but that ain't sayin' much, as Tommy Thompson might say.

Back to the report:

Last spring, Simonson came under fire from several Republican senators as well. Idaho Senator Larry Craig, during a Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing in April questioned the acquisition process for influenza vaccine:

Noting that the flu can be lethal to some populations such as the elderly, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said the country was unprepared to deal with a possible flu pandemic.

Simonson . . . stopped short of agreeing with Craig’s assessment, but said “it would pose an enormous challenge.”

Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Gregg also questioned if the process used by Simonson’s office to award vaccine development contracts ensured open competition and delivery to prevent a vaccine shortfall.

“Are we creating the same situation with anthrax?” Gregg asked, referring to the flu vaccine shortfall last winter.

Although Simonson said the different agreements show that they are “seeking not to put all our eggs in one basket,” he added that he remains unsure if the contract award process is being done right. “We’re learning as we go,” he said.

The bottom line is that there is a risk of a flu pandemic that could kill millions of people worldwide if it is able to jump from human to human. Hurricane Katrina amply demonstrated what happens when underqualified yet well-connected lawyers are in charge.

This is Pandemic Flu Awareness Week, so I thought I'd share that with you. If you'd like to know more about avian flu, starting here would be a good idea.

Today's news is that the Bush administration is considering spending billions on an anti-flu drug, but has waited so long to do it that there will be delays in getting it, perhaps until 2007.