Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Frances Townsend to Advise Baker Botts Clients on Government Investigations


Baker Botts, the law firm of James A. Baker, III, announced a significant hire today. Their press release stated:


Fran Townsend, who served as the top homeland security adviser to former President George W. Bush for nearly four years, joined Baker Botts L.L.P. today as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

Townsend will lead a Global Security and Corporate Risk Counseling practice, focusing on homeland and national security issues. In addition to strategic security counseling and risk management, her practice will include advising on issues in international transactions subject to CFIUS review, government investigations and matters involving electronic privacy and information security.

Fran will advise on government investigations, where she has a clear track record. She managed corporate risk for two firms in her White House Lessons Learned report after Hurricane Katrina. Rather than serve the public interest, Townsend managed risk for Tenet Health and LifeCare Hospitals, an affiliate of The Carlyle Group. Fran's report made no mention of the hospital with the highest patient death toll. Memorial Medical Center lost 34 patients, 24 of which were on the LifeCare unit.

The Baker in Baker Botts has a long association with The Carlyle Group. One recent mention of James A. Baker, III, came from a Carlyle sponsored dinner for the son of Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Baker investigated the BP Texas City explosion which killed 15. The report blamed a misplace safety culture, giving CEO Lord John Browne a free pass. Browne moved on to Rivestone Holdings, a Carlyle Group energy joint venture.

Tenet showed their appreciation to the Bush White House by appointing John Ellis "Jeb" Bush to their Board of Directors. It occurred a year after Fran's white wash of a Lessons Learned report.

To recap, Frances Townsend will advise Baker Botts clients on government investigations? She conducted an investigation omitting the hospital with the highest patient death toll! This hack public servant landed a sweet job with people she protected. There's much to reward. On CNN Fran defended Cheney's assassination squad and list of targets. Crony hiring is pure Bush style management. Apparently, George W. was trained by Baker & company.