Hecht Confirmed as Envoy to Bahamas

Former Sen. Chic Hecht (R-Nev.) won Senate confirmation as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas on Tuesday, surviving protests from some Democrats that he lacks the skills needed for a post that has become critical to the war against drug trafficking.

The vote to confirm Hecht, 60, who was defeated for reelection last year, was 78 to 19. It came after Hecht’s defenders said he was fully qualified by his experience in business, banking and government to handle an ambassadorship and after Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) complained that “journalistic pygmies” had distorted Hecht’s record.

The fight over Hecht underscored mounting Democratic opposition to appointment of what Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.) called “political throwaways,” who he said were being rewarded by President Bush on the theory that they could “do no harm” in their posts.

In a statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when it was considering the nomination, Hecht said he was sure he would “feel at home in the Bahamas” because “I’ve been involved in gambling in Nevada and I’ve been involved in banking for 25 years. . . . Also, I understand it is a nice life style. I love golf and they have a lot of nice golf courses and good fishing.”

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Hecht made the comments in jest.