Demos Dominate Dole’s New Firm

Bob Dole will become special counsel at a Washington law firm - Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand - whose partners include many prominent Democrats, the firm announced Wednesday.

Dole, the former Senate Republican leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, is also chairman of the campaign to raise money for a World War II memorial on the Mall.

The name partners of Verner, Liipfert include Berl Bernhard, who was Edmund Muskie’s campaign manager when Muskie ran for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination; Harry C. McPherson Jr., who was special counsel to President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Lloyd Hand, who was chief of protocol in the Johnson White House.

Other Democrats affiliated with the firm include Lloyd Bentsen, the former senator and Treasury secretary; George Mitchell, the former Senate Democratic leader from Maine, and former Gov. James Blanchard of Michigan.

A spokeswoman for the firm, Rosemary Freeman, said Dole, 73, would work in the areas of taxation, health care and Social Security.

The term special counsel means that Dole will hold a senior position but will not be a partner, Freeman said.

The firm issued this statement from Dole:

“It’s a long way from my first two-man law office in Russell, Kan., but with so many friends and former colleagues at Verner, Liipfert, I know I’ll feel welcome. I’m looking forward to this nonpartisan reunion with George Mitchell and Lloyd Bentsen. The best part will be no filibusters, no cloture votes and no quorum calls. I’m eager to get to work at the firm, as well as continuing to lead the fund-raising campaign for the World War II Memorial and contributing to the public debate through speaking engagements around the country.”