Who is Cuccinelli?

"Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) on Monday began his new job as acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a controversial appointment that could set up a showdown between the White House and Senate Republicans."

I saw that recently and wondered at the name. It looked a bit familiar Cuccinelli is Madonna's birth name? [Note -- no, that turns out to be Ciccone.]

Cuccinelli made a bit of a splash when he was state Attorney General for Virginia in the period 2010-14 under Governor Bob McDonnell.

In that capacity, he investigated climate scientists, stating that they were arguably engaged in fraud by peddling this notion that CO2 emissions affect the planet in ways that might prove harmful to humans.

I am happy to note that, at the very least, he did not misuse his position to bring any charges. My guess is that announcing an investigation was sufficient to get him what he wanted from it -- a blast of narcissistically satisfying publicity.

I am also happy to think that putting him at USCIS, a pencil-pusher's post, is more-or-less harmless.

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