The Curious Resignation Of Robert Wexler

Today, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a well-regarded young congressman with a good job and enough seniority to ensure that he is comfortable, will announce his resignation from the House of Representatives. The reason: he intends to perform other work in a "public policy" capacity. Initially, speculint (speculative intelligence) placed Wexler as the head of USAID at the State Department, or perhaps even as ambassador to Israel. But an administration official told reporters last night that, so far as he knows, Wexler wouldn't be joining the administration. Reports from South Florida indicate that Wexler has decided to become the head of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Sounds like an ordinary think tank. A sinecure, even. Something fit for a 70-year-old, maybe -- but not a 48-year-old guy in the prime of his legislative career. Indeed, Democrats in Florida tried to recruit him to run in the Senate primary against Kendrick Meek and believed that he had a good chance to beat whichever Republican made it through. The institute he's joining is, as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency notes, kind of "moribund." It was founded by Slim Fast magnate F. Murray Abraham (Apparently, S. Daniel Abraham founded Slim Fast, and F. Murray Abraham played Salieri.) but hasn't really done much over the past eight years. With more money, it could become a potent charitable advocacy group, but it would join at least a dozen others with roughly the same purpose.