By CURTIS BLESSING
Gov. Rick Snyder says he has a candidate to be Detroit’s emergency financial manager. Is a person with the following resume the type of EM Snyder is considering?
- Served as attorney general of a big state.
- Won office as state representative.
- Is a Democrat
- Is an African American.
- Is a lawyer with connections in Washington.
- Works in a law firm with well known colleagues who have city-turnaround skills.
That person exists.
He is Thurbert Baker, a former attorney general of the state of Georgia now practicing law as a partner for the international firm of McKenna, Long & Aldridge LLP.
Working in Atlanta and Washington, Baker’s practice focuses on corporate compliance and investigations, public policy and regulatory affairs, multi-state litigation and public sector procurements. He maintains offices in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
Baker was the elected attorney general for 13 years under three Georgia governors. His bio on the law firm website says while in office he focused on fighting corruption and consumer fraud. He served as president of the National Association of Attorneys General from 2006-2007, and he previously served eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives.
In 2010, he lost a Democratic gubernatorial primary to a former governor.
Baker, on paper, at least, appears to have been preparing to be an emergency manager for his entire adult life.
And he would be an EM with associates who have extensive experience in dealings with the problems of big cities.
Also affiliated with his law firm is Anthony Williams, the former mayor of Washington whose title is “Senior Strategic Advisor and Independent Consultant.”
Williams is well known among Michigan policy wonks. He was invited to speak last year at both the Greater Detroit Chamber’s Detroit Policy Forum in April and at the chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference in May. Williams has credentials as the former mayor and CFO of a financially distressed city and the official who scored successes in righting the ship.
Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley reported a short while ago that Williams, supposedly Snyder’s first choice to be EM, would not be offered the job.
Since Williams spoke at the Mackinac Policy Conference in May, he was named executive director of the Federal City Council, a non-profit organization of business leaders and professionals that works to improve the D.C. area.
Williams could fit in as a consultant to the person to be named EM in Detroit, say, Baker, through the McKenna firm.
Also affiliated with the firm is Stephen Goldsmith, a Republican who is the former mayor of Indianapolis and, most recently, deputy mayor to Michael Bloomberg in New York City.
Ideal a candidate as he might be, Baker is far from certain to be Snyder’s man in Detroit. His arrival would have to overcome one hurdle: He denied several days ago that he is a candidate.
And, in an email Wednesday, he wrote: "Please be advised that I am NOT a candidate for the emergency manager position in Detroit."
Baker’s name surfaced in some of the early speculation. But that was then.
One theory: It’s possible the deal had to be sweetened to get the McKenna firm, Baker and Williams to agree to the arrangement-- Baker as EM, and Williams -- and perhaps Goldsmith as well -- as adviser to the EM.
It’s quite a package of talent and experience --- and political nuance – certainly equal to any proposal that has been floated so far.
Snyder would achieve his objective of getting politically savvy, respected, experienced, talented players to work on fixing what ails Detroit.
Two seasoned public officials who have waged political wars and experienced the slings and arrows of political attacks. Two Democrats. Two highly respected African-American professionals. And one pro who worked under the highly regarded administration in the pressure-packed environment of the nation’s biggest city.
So welcome to Detroit, Mr. Baker, Mr. Williams and Mr. Goldsmith, just in case you are coming.
If you aren’t coming, maybe you should be.
Curtis Blessing is a lawyer in Detroit.
