In the third installment of our military politico series, we look at the rumors swirling around the Secretary of the Army post.
Sources at the Pentagon (with no ties to the future administration that we know of) say their odds-on fave for Army Secretary is Joe Reeder. Reeder, a well-heeled West Pointer (Class of 1970) and UT-milled barrister served as the 14th Army undersecretary, leaving that post in 1997 to return to practicing law.
Rumor or no rumor, we checked the Bomb Shelter’s take on this important appointment. According to a source close to the man himself, Reeder’s acceptance of the job (if he’s even being considered) is unlikely. Reeder has been lobbyist and lawyer with the high-powered firm of Greenberg Traurig. And if those legal digs were not lucrative enough, Reeder has moved on to greener (and more profitable) pastures. His dealings remain international with projects in South America as well as the Middle East. (Dubai? Cha-ching!) We’re told Joe Reeder is a pretty loyal guy and our source doubts he’d leave his new bosses in a lurch, unless of course they thought going retro was a good thing and nudged him out the door. Reeder, as a registered lobbyist, might run into some problems in the new administration.
Registered lobbyist? As discussed in our previous posting, it is interesting that former Army Secretary Louis Caldera, despite his six-year stint as board member for the failed and federalized IndyMac Bank can head the White House Military Office.