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Senate GOPer Blocking Appointment Of Key Bailout Overseer: We Need Your Help!
Last week we noticed that at least one unnamed Republican senator has put a hold on the nomination of Neil Barofsky as the Treasury's Department's special inspector general for the bailout.
This is a crucial post for ensuring that the department spends its $700 billion wisely and without favor -- all the more so because Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, and the man running the bailout, Neel Kashkari, are both former executives at Goldman Sachs, which has already received $10 billion from Treasury. And no one has seriously questioned Barofsky's personal fitness for the job.
Senators have the right to anonymously put a hold on any nomination to a federal post for any reason whatsoever. But given what's at stake here, it's worth trying to find out who's responsible for the hold, and why. We've put in a call to Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's office. But we could use your help too.
So if you live in a state with at least one Republican senator, we're asking you to call their office, tell them you're a constituent, and politely ask whether they put a hold on Barofsky's nomination, and if so, why. Then email us and let us know what you find out -- even if it's a 'no' or an inconclusive answer. If nothing else, your information can help us narrow down the list.
And in case it helps, here's the statement put out by Sen. Chris Dodd, the chair of the banking committee, that first mentioned the hold.
One final point: in Friday's post, we noted a jurisdictional dispute between the Senate banking and finance committees, mentioned in a Washington Post story before the hold was put on, as a possible explanation for the move. But a Hill staffer in a position to know tells us that the issue has been resolved. So you can scratch that idea.
We'll be watching for your emails...
Josh
Zachary
Just spoke with a nice staffer in Sen. Specter's office who knew about the hold, but did not believe that Sen. Specter had placed the hold on the nomination.
December 1, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Staffer at John Sununu's office said he wasn't aware of it and did not know of any statement that Sununu had made regarding it. His DC office number is 202-224-2841 if anyone else from NH wants to give it a try.
Senator Gregg's office gave an unambigous "no" that it was not coming from Gregg's office.
December 1, 2008 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd bet it's Sen. Bunning.
December 1, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I tried Sen. Sununu's office as well and got the same answer. I asked that Jason, on the phones, ask the Senator and I'd call back later.
December 1, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Office of Senator Mel Martinez of FL says that he's not the one blocking it.
December 1, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just spoke to someone at Senator Spector's office who was unaware of any action by the senator regarding this matter.
December 1, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very interesting! I wonder if anyone will crack... and if so, what the consequences of their leak will mean for their own jobs...
-- Cris
My site: Obama Wallpaper Archive
December 1, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Neil Barofsky was the prosecutor involved with Refco Inc. It may be a good idea to find out if there are any senators that may have had ties to Refco and Phillip Bennett it's former CEO.
December 1, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spoke with TX Senator Hutchinson's office. Guy did not believe it was her and suggested, without prompting, that Inhofe was most likely the holding Senator. Someone else called before me, so at least he was somewhat informed. Note: he couldn't say for certain, but seemed comfortable saying no.
Was forwarded to aid's vmail in Cornyn's office. Hopefully a quick callback to confirm/deny.
Can someone in OK call Inhofe's office???
-oh4real
December 1, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Figures it might be a Sooner...
December 1, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I called Inhofe's office. The person transferred me to proper person, who turned out to be automated message taker. Am waiting for call-back.
December 1, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just spoke w/ both Senator Collin's and Snowe's (Maine) offices. Both were very pleasant, but neither said they had heard nothing about about this. Snow's person did tell me that even if it was Senator Snowe putting the hold on she would not tell me either way.
Billy
December 1, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just got off the phone with my two empty suits, Graham and DeMint (sounds French).
Their respective staffs say, 'unequivocally,' that their bosses aren't the guy.
December 1, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, and by the way, why does Reid honor an anonymous hold by a Republican yet refuse to honor one by a Democrat? It would be foolish not to inquire...
December 1, 2008 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
North Carolina:
Senator Dole's office quickly denied that she put a hold on the nomination.
Senator Burr's office said 'ummm....I don't believe so but....ummmm... let me transfer you' and then I was transferred to an automatic voice message system. I did leave a message but I'm not holding my breath waiting for a response.
December 1, 2008 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spoke to an Aide in John Cornyn's office. He denied that Sen. Cornyn had anything to do with it.
December 1, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I expect that David Kurtz is already doing far more than I am in tracking down what is to be found out about Sen Bond here in Missouri, but just to be as helpful as possible I called Bond's St Louis office. The lady there was very polite, but she needed me to spell Barofsky and clearly had no idea what I was talking about. She said that she would ask Sen Bond as soon as she got the chance and get back to me, but this is all a long way of saying that I know nothing one way or the other about Bond's hand in this as of yet.
December 1, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ensign's office gave a "not to our knowledge" answer. I asked for an explicit denial and they took my contact info.
December 1, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink