Robin Cleveland: Thanks but no thanks

As reported by Deep Insider, Monique Barbut was practising some “travails” to get the “dragon-lady” Robin a cushy job at GEF. Guess with only 18 months to go for the Bush Administration, his political followers are not welcomed, as ” must have employees “, with open arms in some corporations and dear Robyn does need a job. However, according to Al Kamen from Washington Post, Robin won’t be an ilk of Monique.

The job apparently would have meant a two-step demotion in rank as well as a substantial — perhaps six-figure — decline in salary, according to the Government Accountability Project, which has been exposing various misdeeds and shortcomings at the bank.”

Al-Kamen goes on to report on the remaining cronies from the Gang of Six, Shaha Riza and the supporter who wrote:”God Bless Mr. Wolfowitz. ” on three stall doors in the women’s restroom next to the staff association HQ.

5 thoughts on “Robin Cleveland: Thanks but no thanks

  1. Could not pass on this one:
    “If you doubt the power of congressional aides, consider the identity of the person The Wall Street Journal’s David Rogers found to be responsible for holding up aid to Macedonia when that country was being flooded with Kosovar refugees. It was Robin Cleveland, Mitch McConnell’s subcommittee clerk who is, according to Rogers, “well known for her aggressive use of power within the Appropriations Committee. Some Macedonian officials came to believe she was a senator herself and not just an aide.”

    This is not the only occurrence : Ask the African countries what her boss and herself did to them in the 90’s when they were cutting Foreign aid.

    She used to work for the Democrat Birch Bayh then she changed to the GOP and worked as a Clerk initially to McConnell in the 90’s until Bush came to power. After her blunder with Roche to get a job for her brother, she managed to get the job ( without going through the hiring process once again) as a political operative to Wolfie. Needs to be with those in power I would assume.

    I guess it is not what you know but who you know. Heck where will she get a tax-free open-ended position as the one she has presently.

  2. As in the case of other W’s croonies, the internal people site “Meet Monique Barbut” does not provide much information on her pre-WB. Is it that she prefers to be silent about it or is it because she has no real-life experience prior to her joining thte Bank. It is worrisome when senior management has nothing to say/show about their pre-Bank career. Isn’t Robin?

  3. For someone who has been at the Bank since 1978 and has been in HR she should know better than to keep a political operative. However, this is another “local” American – no foreigner or International hire. Where is Rich Folsom?
    May be Kathy Sierra should read this piece on the dragon lady again or her involvement over a dispute between Zimbabwe and AIG back in 1996
    “Dear Robin,” Lee (Edmund Lee, AIG’s executive director of international and corporate affairs) wrote, “I want to thank you again for taking time out of your schedule to meet with us yesterday afternoon on an extremely important issue to AIG.

    “Attached for your review and consideration is draft language for the amendment we discussed during our meeting,” Lee wrote. “It would cap AID funding to Zimbabwe in fiscal year 1997 at $10 million, roughly a 50 percent cut from 1996 expenditures, unless Zimbabwe waives the localization requirement for U.S. insurance companies.
    Ding!Ding!Ding! Good governance 🙂
    Or should we repeat the following:
    Robin supervised the Pentagon’s budget and is remembered for predicting that the war in Iraq would cost “only” $80bn (not $1.2 Trillion and counting), after which its oil revenues would “pay for the rest”.

  4. Unfortunately, a new rumor suggests that Sustainable Development (sic) VP Kathy Sierra, who ought to know better, is thinking of hiring Robin. K

    athy, who was Xavier Coll’s predecessor in HR and did a far better job at saying “no”, has an opening for her Chief Administrative Officer, an important direct report for strategy, budget management and controls. Given the importance and complexity of the SD portfolio, Kathy needs someone who knows Bank process, can balance in a timely fashion multiple demands, and “plays well with others.” There are good internal candidates. In fact, with only a bachelor’s degree, Robin does not meet the qualifications that were posted. That may not have stopped Wolfowitz, but after July 1, good process and sensible rules will again become important.

    Kathy, say it ain’t so!

Comments are closed.