Facebook Taps Joel Kaplan (of 2000 'Brooks Brothers Riot') to Head Washington Office

Source: New York Times

In an effort to expand its power base in the nation’s capital, Facebook has hired Joel Kaplan, an executive vice president at the Texas utility giant Energy Future Holdings, to head the company’s office in Washington.

It is a significant coup for the fast-growing social network, which is seeking to increase its influence among policy makers and lawmakers.

... With the addition of Mr. Kaplan, a former member of President George W. Bush’s White House staff, Facebook will likely strengthen its ties to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Read more: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/facebook-taps-joel-kaplan-to-head-washington-office/

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http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/000416.php

The man Bush tapped to fill Karl Rove's spot as his policy wizard is none other than Joel Kaplan, who took part in the infamous "Brooks Brothers riot" of 2000. That's when a bunch of Washington GOP operatives, posing as outraged Floridians, waved fists, chanted "Stop the fraud!" and pounded windows in an effort to intimidate officials engaged in the Florida recount effort.

In George Bush's Washington, there's no shame in staging a fake protest to undermine a democratic election, apparently: last year, the Washington Post's Al Kamen noted that "the "rioters" proudly note their participation on resumes and in interviews." Kaplan was even the one to cheekily dub the fracas the "Brooks Brothers Riot."

and I'm sadly not at all surprised.

Yeah, never mind what they were doing was a federal offense (tampering with a recount of a national election, crossing state lines to incite a riot, etc).

But remember, kids: IOKIYAR!!