St. Louis businessman Sam Fox is the new U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, appointed by President Bush who has gone around opposition from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Fox is a recess appointment, made when Congress is not in session. He will not have to go through Senate confirmation as a recess appointment.

Democrats on the Committee had opposed the nomination because Fox made a big contribution to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth during the 2004 Presidential campaign. That’s the group that ran highly negative ads against Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry.