Local Bush Appointee?

As Texas Gov. George W. Bush is assembling his transition team, one name that has surfaced as a potential Bush administration appointee is Brad Freeman, a partner in the investment firm Freeman Spogli & Co.

Freeman was chairman of Bush's California finance committee and stuck by the Republican presidential candidate during the stiff challenge mounted by Ariz. Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary. Back in January and early February, several other prominent Republicans either jumped ship (including Secretary Of State Bill Jones) or publicly wavered in their support of Bush.

Freeman's name was brought up by Republican political commentator Hugh Hewitt on a local public affairs show right after the election. Freeman himself was traveling on the East Coast last week and could not be reached for comment.

Of course, one of Freeman's partners is Bill Wardlaw, one of the principal Democratic Party bigwigs in town, who has met frequently with President Clinton and was instrumental in bringing the Democratic National Convention to Los Angeles.