On March 1, President Bush nominated Michael Baroody to be a commissioner on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Many have criticized the nomination because of Baroody's record of opposing safety regulation in his role as a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Yesterday, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the nomination. In the letter, the Senators really brought their A-game, citing statutory criteria for the qualifications of a CPSC commissioner: Specifically, Section 4(a) of the [Consumer Product Safety Act] states: "In making such appointments, the President shall consider individuals who, by reason of their background and expertise in areas related to consumer products and protection of the public from risks to safety, are qualified to serve as members of the Commission." There is no evidence in Mr. Baroody's professional background to indicate that he meets these criteria. To the contrary, Mr. Baroody has worked against the "protection of the public from risks to safety" in his work for [NAM]. In the letter, we also find out that Baroody received a $150,000 severance payment from NAM. Due to ethics rules, Baroody would likely have to recuse himself from CPSC decisions involving NAM or NAM member companies. According to the NAM website, the trade organization represents thousands of manufacturers. That would mean a whole lot of recusing for Baroody. Currently, the Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a nomination hearing for May 24. Check back with Reg•Watch later today for more on the Baroody nomination. Reg•Watch Update: Beneath the Politicking, a Powerless CSPC