Bruce Jones of the Brookings Institution, the husband of close Rice ally Elizabeth Cousens, took a shot at Kerry and Rice’s GOP detractors on Monday. Cousens is an ambassador who reports to Rice, serving as the U.S. Representative on the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative to the UN General Assembly. Before Cousens took up her current gig, she was one of Rice’s top personal advisers.

“Rice at NSC, Donillon at State a strong move. Also, McCain and co just got a scalp; why reward them with Kerry’s seat?” Jones tweeted on Monday.