White House spokesman Ben LaBolt denied today that I’ve been given the job of official White House law blogger, according to the WSJ when reporter Ashby Jones called for confirmation.
Politics can be a funny thing. As noted earlier today at Simple Justice, a source inside the Press Secretary’s office had already said that they were irritated that I would be working for the office of the WH counsel and not be answerable to the press office. Scott Greenfield wrote:
I’ve heard from an old pal inside the White House press secretary’s office that they are none too pleased by the newest member of the administration. They are scared to death that they now have a loose information cannon on their hands after reading his body of work.
So I guess I’m not surprised that the press office gave that comment to the WSJ. Before I even start, they are already trying to squeeze me out.
As noted earlier, Orin Kerr at The Volokh Conspiracy has also confirmed my appointment with his own sources.
And, The New York Times has likewise succeeded in confirming the appointment. In today’s City Room Blog, they wrote in When Lawyers Blog:
After all, as Mr. Turkewitz, a Manhattan lawyer, writes on his New York Personal Injury Law Blog, he is about to be sounding off on all manner of legal issues as the Obama administration’s new White House law blogger.
“Excited about new blogging gig as White House law blogger,” he tweeted this morning. “But hope I don’t have to spend too much time in D.C.”
Spoken like a true New Yorker.
So, to my friends that were concerned I’ve lost the gig, rest assured that I will be showing up for work shortly at the White House. Except, of course, for those times I’m able to telecommute from New York. And yes, I will expect LaBolt to buy me a beer as payback for talking out of school in his too-quick, and uninformed, response to the WSJ.