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| Specter claims Reid deal for Judiciary chair |
| 2010-04-11 |
| Sen. Arlen Specter says he has an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to become the next chairman of the Judiciary Committee, but three senior Democrats are blocking the deal. Better hurry, Arlen, November is coming up fast ... Specter (D-Pa.) has worked diligently behind the scenes to boost his seniority on the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations committees and hopes to settle the issue before the election. "The arrangement I had with Reid [D-Nev.] is that I would have the same seniority as if I had been elected as a Democrat in 1980," Specter said in an interview with The Hill. "I would be behind [Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick] Leahy [D-Vt.], and when he moved up to chairman of Appropriations, I would move to chairman of Judiciary." When Specter switched to the Democratic Party almost a year ago, he was given the last seat on the dais of the Judiciary and Appropriations panels. He has since turned into a model member of the Democratic Conference, voting with party leaders more than 95 percent of the time, and worked to convince his fellow Democrats to support his deal with Reid. "Sen. Reid and Sen. Leahy worked it out with half a dozen of my colleagues that I would be ahead of them on Judiciary," Specter said. "On Appropriations, this is something that Reid is working on now. The issue is not over." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 "Explains why he spent so much time in the Senate dining room kitchen." The Senate has KP? |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2010-04-11 23:45 |
| #6 He has to get past Sestak first. That may be a contest. Hopefully it leaves the winner wounded. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-04-11 12:39 |
| #5 They have in Specter's experience, NS. The union counties in the west and the inner Philadelphia counties cancel out the "T" counties, leaving the balance of power in exurban Philadelphia. Hopefully those Obamoid turncoat Scranton/Rockefeller voters have gotten over their socialist moment & revert to the norm. Luckily Toomey isn't nearly as hard-core social-conservative as some alternatives, making him electable this season in the greater southeast. I hope. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2010-04-11 12:25 |
| #4 Boy, the senate seniority system is efficient in letting the scum work its way to the top of the pond... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2010-04-11 10:32 |
| #3 time for this decrepit POS to go out to pasture |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-04-11 09:53 |
| #2 Yeah, being the chief water carrier for Barry's supreme court nominees will really help Arlen win votes in PA. Too bad for Arlen Philadelphia doesn't elect a senator. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-04-11 09:37 |
| #1 Specter (D-Pa.) has worked diligently behind the scenes to boost his seniority on the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations committees Explains why he spent so much time in the Senate dining room kitchen. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2010-04-11 04:33 |