What caught my eye in this morning’s Washington Post puff piece on just how much of a maverick Senator-elect James Webb will be was the tidbit that he’s hired Paul J. Reagan, a registered lobbyist and former staffer for Rep. Jim “earmark the s— out of it” Moran. The McGuire Woods LLP bio of Reagan tells us, “In addition to managing Moran’s staff and offices, Paul also handled press and coordinated appropriations issues.” (emphasis added.) Reagan’s new job with Webb will be to “help his boss navigate the intricacies of Washington and Capitol Hill without losing the essence of his personality,” as the Post‘s Michael D. Shear effervescently puts it.

I think most longtime Moran observers would agree that the essence of his personality remains intact, while his ability to navigate the intricacies of Washington and Capitol Hill is unparalleled–and while that’s been good for some Moran contributors, it’s not clear the country has benefited. Will Webb follow that pattern?

(Side note: It appears that Reagan backed Harris Miller, Webb’s Democratic primary opponent, in 2006.)