Groups Urge Senate Hearing on Archivist Appointment
By Marjorie J. Censer
In April, the Society of American Archivists and twenty-eight other groups issued a statement of concern about the nomination by the White House of historian Allen Weinstein to be the next archivist of the United States. Before the April 8 announcement, the statement said, "there was no consultation with professional organizations of archivists and historians. This is the first time since the National Archives and Records Administration was established as an independent agency that the process of nominating an Archivist of the United States has not been open for public discussion and input."
"The problem is not so muchwith the selection as it is with the process," says Bruce Craig, director of the National Coalition for History. "The law is clear about how an archivist is supposed to beselected."
Craig explains that, traditionally, the current archivist steps down, and an interim archivist is appointed. Only later is a replacement found, providing time for consultation with archivist groups as required by law. This time, in contrast, current archivist John Carlin was asked to leave after the White House initiated discussions with nominee Weinstein. Consequently, "it appears that John Carlin is being forced out," Craig says, calling the nomination "fast track." He adds that "the White House wants to have [its] own archivist in place prior to the election."
The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs conducted a confirmation hearing in July and is scheduled to confirm Weinstein's nomination in August.
This is not the first time that archivists and historians have protested the selection for U.S. archivist. They objected to the appointment by President Clinton of Carlin, a former Kansas governor, arguing that his credentials were inadequate and that his selection was politically motivated.
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