Did the NRA Stop the FDIC Chair Nomination?

Okay, now I'm curious. Was it the NRA or not?:

F.D.I.C. Post Seems Unlikely for New York Banking Chief, by Jim Rutenberg and Raymond Hernandez, NY Times: This much is known: As of last week, it was assumed in Washington and on Wall Street that the White House would nominate Diana L. Taylor, the New York State banking supervisor — and companion of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg — as the new chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Associates said she had told them the nomination to the F.D.I.C. was in the offing, the White House had signaled to some staff members on the Senate committee that approves such appointments that her nomination was being prepared, and F.B.I. background investigators were calling her friends and colleagues. This much is not known: What exactly changed in the last few days to scuttle the expected nomination, which now seems unlikely.

One senior aide on the Senate Banking Committee, who, citing the sensitivity of the matter, spoke on the condition of anonymity, pointed yesterday to the National Rifle Association. The mayor is singling out the group for criticism as he begins a new campaign for tougher national gun laws. "Our understanding is that the nomination was going to be sent to the Senate this week," the aide said. ... When it was not, the aide said, ... "The reason we were given is that the N.R.A. had a bee in its bonnet about Bloomberg's position on guns and wanted to try to send him a message," ...

But association officials denied it had anything to do with the matter. "We have checked internally, and no one from the National Rifle Association had any communication with either the White House or members of the committee on the nomination," said Andrew Arulanandam, a spokesman for the association...

The WSJs Washington Wire reports:

Administration scrambles for new FDIC chief after expected nomination fizzles for New York Banking Superintendent Diana Taylor, the companion of New York City Mayor Bloomberg. Speculation focuses on deputy Social Security commissioner James Lockhart.

And here's the latest from the NY Times:

Mayor's Companion Suggests 'Machinations' Cost Her a Job, by Diane Cardwell, NY Times: ...Diana L. Taylor, the New York State banking superintendent ... spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about her aborted nomination to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, saying she was mystified about why she was passed over. ... Ms. Taylor implied that political considerations may have killed her nomination. "You know as much as I do," she told board members about why she did not get the post, "whether you think it was the N.R.A. or the tobacco lobby or some cabal." ... Some suggested that the reason was pressure from the National Rifle Association, which denied any role, and the tobacco lobby, two interests with reason to be unhappy with Mr. Bloomberg. ... In an interview ..., she ...repeated that she had "no idea" what had gone on behind the scenes. "I know what I read in the papers," she said...

Comments

[Ken Houghton]

"Two interests with reason to be unhappy with Mr. Bloomberg."

There's a reason Bloomberg gets the crossover vote. The ability to both eat dinner and breath in NYC has caused NJ to follow suit--and don't think that has anything to do with anything other than lost revenues.

90%+ of all the illegal handguns used come from two or three dealers (memory serving, in North Carolina, a Right-to-Die State [ask Brandon Lee]). If the NRA has a problem with going after the bad apples, they have the wrong constituency. They would make much more in dues and revenue if returned to being for gun safety, and not just gun usage.

[calmo]

Scarey stat that I could not confirm Ken.
But that is because I only use Yahoo and Google...and not you. [Yes, far be it for me to claim that 'Brandon Lee illegal handguns' is the only way to flesh out/google your claims.]
No quibbles with your views on the NRA.

[dryfly]

They would make much more in dues and revenue if returned to being for gun safety, and not just gun usage.

NRA is a gun industry lobbying organization that uses 'sportsmen' & 'hunters' as human shields. Historically the NRA would not even disclose its funding but it has been rumored for years to be mostly from ammunition & weapons makers... with individual dues making up a small percentage of the whole.

So with that background one can understand why 'safety' is second class to 'usage'.