Bob Beckel said on Fox this morning that Obama White House green jobs czar Van Jones will be canned by Tuesday. Beckel reasoned that Jones's background is simply indefensible for a White house appointment, and wondered if the FBI screwed up because they must not have uncovered this in the vetting process.
Former White House staffers I've spoken with say they would bet the FBI uncovered much of Jones's past--especially if Jones truthfully answered their questions. What would then happen is this: the background report would go to the Counsel's office (run by Greg Craig), who would then raise the question of whether what the FBI found was disqualifying with the the potential employee's boss. Jones was hired by Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, but he presumably (and ultimately) reports to the chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel must have decided that nothing in Jones's background was alarming enough to prevent his appointment.
So even if Jones is thrown overboard this weekend, it's worth asking: Did Rahm sign off on Jones's appointment despite what the FBI must have discovered about his background. And, incidentally--did Jones tell the truth to the FBI?
I've sent an email asking this question to Rahm Emanuel's office. I'll report when he gets back to me.
