Among Hill Dems, Grumbles over Perceived Double-StandardA number of folks have noticed that Rep. Alan Mollohan may soon control the purse strings to the FBI, despite being under FBI investigation, as we reported Nov. 30.
And some folks on the Hill are just not happy about it. In particular, members of the all-Democrat Congressional Black Caucus are said to be grumbling that the party’s leadership is exhibiting a double standard by letting Mollohan,who’s under FBI investigation, keep his seat on the Approps committee (where he’ll likely control the Justice Dept. budget) after forcing a CBC member, Rep. Bill Jefferson (D-LA), to step down from another powerful committee for facing a similar federal investigation.
Under scrutiny for bribery allegations, Jefferson got a sharp elbow from now-Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to leave his seat on the House Ways and Means committee.
I chatted recently with Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), chairman of the CBC. He made it pretty clear his group’s members were unhappy with what they perceived as a double-standard. Asked if the caucus had any plans to disrupt Mollohan’s bid for a powerful Approps subcommittee chair, Watt said no. But it’s a few weeks until January, when the full Democratic caucus will vote (by secret ballot) to approve the nominees for those slots.