Naughty, naughty!

An appointment to a senior job is clearly a “matter within the jurisdiction of the executive … branch of the Government of the United States.”

Whoever, with respect to such a matter, knowingly and willfully—

(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;

(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or

(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;

has violated 18 U.S.C. 1001 and is eligible for up to five years of free room and board at the taxpayers’ expense.

So if in fact Michael Brown padded his resume to get his job at FEMA, he committed a felony.

Since his incompetence at that position obviously cost many lives, perhaps the ordinary prosecutorial reluctance to criminalize resume-padding ought to be overcome in this case. At least, someone in Congress should ask the Attorney General to have the matter looked into.