The Blame Game The New York Post quoted an unnamed Senate aide last week that blamed the National Rifle Association for killing the appointment of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s girlfriend to a top federal post. NRA firmly denied the accusation. Diana Taylor was considered a top choice to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), but her nomination was blocked. "It's obvious the NRA hasn't been pleased with the mayor's campaign against guns," the aide said. "They wanted to do a little bit of political payback." Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) defended the NRA, saying, "The one thing the NRA has done, historically over time, is to play in their own area." Bloomberg has been vocal in recent weeks about plans to crusade nationally for stricter gun-control laws.