Mel Martinez to retire

Martinez will probably be remembered most for crassly politicizing Teri Schiavo's illness in the infamous Schiavo memo, then lying about it, then getting caught and firing his legal counsel, Brian Darling, who, with a profound regret in his heart, hopped down the Hill to the Heritage Foundation where he continues to work as director of U.S. Senate Relations.

That's a shame, because between a lingering campaign finance violation scandal, rankly hypocritical positions on immigration, and a near total lack of distinction as a legislator, there's no shortage of disgrace for which he should also be remembered.