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Obama, Others Nix Deal on Voter Fraud Guru
From Roll Call (sub. req.):
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Wednesday derailed a plan blessed by Senate leaders to vote on controversial Federal Election Commission White House nominee Hans von Spakovsky, a move giving Democrats time to breathe in the ongoing Senate stalemate on FEC nominees.According to Democratic Senate aides, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) struck a deal mid-week to hotline four FEC slots that must be confirmed by the Senate before next year. As part of the proposed deal, a voice vote on fellow commission nominees only would take place if no Senators objected to von Spakovsky’s nomination.
But a vote on the deal, which was expected to come to the floor as early as today, appeared to be off by mid-day Wednesday after Obama — and unconfirmed others — voiced concerns that von Spakovsky’s nomination was too controversial not to go through regular floor proceedings.
A Democratic aide said Senate offices continue to explore “concerns with Mr. von Spakovsky, if they rise to the level of other objections, as well as where the caucus lies.”
Obama earlier called von Spakovsky an "unacceptable nominee." For a rundown for why Dems would find von Spakovsky so objectionable, see here and here.
Rick Hasen has more on where things might go from here over at the Election Law Blog.
Comments (38)
chabuka wrote on October 4, 2007 12:21 PM:Hooray for Obama.....and Boo for Reid...with Democratics like Reid and Pelosi we don't really need an opposition party, do we...?
moondancer wrote on October 4, 2007 1:09 PM:So oberfuher von Spakovsky gets a seat on the FEC? Isn't that like having a felon preside over his own trial?
luneylegume wrote on October 4, 2007 1:19 PM:I am pretty unhappy about the strained definition of opposition of late . I will gratefully accept this as OPPOSITION however , and hope it loosens some of the viscosity which appears to be bemusing representatives into imagining they are not supporting what they by omission and commission have been doing .
Michael wrote on October 4, 2007 1:24 PM:No more confirmation of any of the king's nominees for anything PERIOD. We are better off with a vacancy than another repuke hack manipulating the system to line the pockets of the repuke contributers with tax dollars. I wish the dems would just put a stop to this nonsense and start using the power that they have. Cut off funding NOW.
Dawn wrote on October 4, 2007 1:29 PM:About damn time someone stopped something, anything. Could we have some more, please?
Ben wrote on October 4, 2007 1:30 PM:Good to see Obama walking the walk on opposing the conventional wisdom of washington. Hopefully as President he'll whip the congressional Dems into shape.
stlounick wrote on October 4, 2007 1:31 PM:Reid is a real problem in the Senate; he is using the bi-partisanship slant of giving everything to the damned opponent instead of finding areas of agreement--like we'll do three of 'em and this recess appointment has problems and we'll do it separately.
Reid and his ilk are the real problem in the Dem Party today. Kudos to Obama for publicly calling attention to yet another failure by this section of the Democratic Party. Where's Clinton on this?
gcs wrote on October 4, 2007 1:37 PM:Maybe this will help Reid find his balls.
IWW wrote on October 4, 2007 1:52 PM:Can we get some more info about the undisclosed others? Inquiring minds want to know whether a certain Senator from NY "would never back down" on voting rights for all Americans.
noshrub wrote on October 4, 2007 2:02 PM:Kudos to Obama. Totally the right decision. Reid needed to get the message loud and clear that this guy is bad news and all about voter suppression.
JNagarya wrote on October 4, 2007 2:09 PM:"Michael wrote on October 4, 2007 1:24 PM:
"No more confirmation of any of the king's nominees for anything PERIOD. We are better off with a vacancy than another repuke hack manipulating the system to line the pockets of the repuke contributers with tax dollars. I wish the dems would just put a stop to this nonsense and start using the power that they have. Cut off funding NOW.
To which "power" do you refer? -- a "majority" of one named Lieberman?
Politics is the art of the possible -- not of the perfect and impossible.
In order for the Democrats to accomplish anything, especially in the Senate, they need the support of sufficient Republican'ts. Yet you anti-Republican't/pro-Democratic dweebs nevcer make mention of the fact -- the reality -- that there are also
Republican'ts in the room; and it is they who are foot-dragging, and filibustering against everything the Democrats attempt to do.
Could you perhaps wake up to and accept and think in accord with those realities -- instead of gratuitously and condescendingly bashing the Democrats -- with no mention of the foot-dragging Republican'ts -- calling them names, and questioning their motives?
bp wrote on October 4, 2007 2:12 PM:Reid has not done anything outstanding as a Senate leader. Has a great line in talk not in action; my nephew said it best NATO. Very glad Obana has intervened.
Bullsmith wrote on October 4, 2007 2:20 PM:Something stinks about the very fact that von Spakovsky has gotten this far. This is a professional election rigger. Putting him on the FEC is an obvious non starter.
So what gives? Why on earth would Ben Nelson and/or Diane Fienstein let him come out of committee? Why would Reid let him take the easiest possible route through the senate?
Are they getting to appoint some god-awful hack of their own in return? Are they being blackmailed?
There's muck needs raking here.
oleeb wrote on October 4, 2007 2:25 PM:I agree with Michael:
No more confirmation of the King's nominees. None! Not until two conditions are met:
1. The King has agreed to binding timetable for withdrawal from Iraq that will have all troops out prior to January 2009.
2. The nominees are not right wing extremists.
If the King refuses #1 that's it. Discussion over. No confirmations.
If he meets #1 but not #2 then no confirmations and on a case by case basis every extremist winger nominee will be blocked.
oleeb wrote on October 4, 2007 2:35 PM:And as for JNagarya,
Your view of what is possible is startlingly limited. The Democrats do not need to "do" or accomplish anything legislatively if they don't want to. They have just as much, in fact, more power than the opposition by stopping what the administration needs or wants but they refuse to do it because they are by nature: cowards. That is clear as clear can be. Democrats have no obligation whatsoever to compromise with the Republicans on anything. What has been happening for years is that compromise in DC has come to mean: Democrats capitulate. That is not only unaccpetable, but it is unnecessary. It just takes some balls.
If the Democrats in the Senate in particular really were committed to stopping the war or any number of other horrendous items on the Bush agenda they could do so, but it would take the one thing they clearly lack: backbone.
fresh wrote on October 4, 2007 3:13 PM:I agree with Bullsmith. Stopping this type of appointee is exactly why the voters gave the dems the majority. There is some deal-making going on somehwere.
slb wrote on October 4, 2007 3:39 PM:Obama just went up a couple of notches in my estimation. Good for him, and for the others who refused to go along with the deal.
>> Why on earth would Ben Nelson and/or Diane Fienstein let him come out of committee? <<
Feinstein didn't have much choice. Nelson announced his intention to vote with the Republicans in favor of his nomination. That would have meant a majority of the committee in his favor. As it is, at least the nomination was reported out of committee without a recommendation.
If you want to point a finger, point it at Nelson for breaking ranks with his fellow Democrats.
Sam Thornton wrote on October 4, 2007 3:39 PM:Reid either needs to resign his leadership position or be forced out by Democratic senators. His behavior in the leadership role has been despicable. Where can we sign on for a "Dump Reid" initiative?
global citizen wrote on October 4, 2007 3:45 PM:I now would be really happy with two possible Dem nominees, three counting Dodd. That has to be an all time record.
Anon wrote on October 4, 2007 3:58 PM:See why the Dems are such cowards is because if Nelson had been a Repug back in Delay's day. And told them that he would go with the Dems on something. Delay would have been on him like white on rice and he would have changed his tune real quick! The Dems have the power to remove other dems from committees, move their offices and all other kinds of mean things to threaten them with and keep them in line, but they don't. So, one stupid Blue Dog Dem can change the whole thing.
Gobi Gred wrote on October 4, 2007 4:19 PM:It's funny I never heard of any "Red Dog" Repugs. They know how to keep their people in line and they do.
Does anyone know why Ben Nelson did this dirty deed? I'm from his state & I can't figgure it out.
Sully18 wrote on October 4, 2007 4:20 PM:Good for Obama.It is not advisable to blindly go along with Bush`s racist choice for the FEC.I`d sure like to know what Harry Reid was going to get in return for his deal with Mc Connell.
Anonymous wrote on October 4, 2007 4:35 PM:Anon makes a good point about the fact that there are no "Red Dog" Rethugs.
First time Obama has taken any real action that has given me any reason to vote for him. I hope he keeps it up.
Why did he skip the vote on the Kyl-Lieberman resolution? If he is looking for something to differentiate himself from Lady Laughs-a-Lot, this was a lost opportunity if ever there was one.
Johann wrote on October 4, 2007 4:53 PM:Looking at the photograph of Hans von Spakovsky, it would only take a mustache to make him look exactly like pictures of Adolph Hitler.
IceJustIce wrote on October 4, 2007 5:04 PM:Obama, Feingold, John Kerry, and Sherrod Brown all have holds on Hans, I have it on excellent authority.
Sam Thornton wrote on October 4, 2007 5:48 PM:After receiving an email from Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriot's Fund (http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/), I responded with the following:
"Senator,
"Long been an admirer.
"Having said that, I want to express to you my rising disgust with the stewardship of your fellow Senator, Harry Reid, as majority leader. My problem with Senator Reid is that he has consistently caved to the Republican minority on issues of great importance, not only to Democrats, but to the country at large. His latest bit of outrage is his attempt, in cooperation with Republicans, to slide the appointment of four FEC nominees through the normal confirmation process, despite the fact the nominees are clearly hostile to the intent of the FEC.
"Senator Reid's conduct has been and remains, frankly, beyond the pale. Senate Democrats need to rebel against his poisonous leadership and either get him to resign of his own volition or force him out. Enough is enough.
Senator Finegolds' email:
Mafalda Hopkirk wrote on October 4, 2007 5:51 PM:russ AT progressivepatriotsfund.com
Oleeb: Perhaps instead of speaking as if we already *have a king* we could call him the Pretender - or Pretender to the Throne. It's longer than king, but honestly he is a pretender and I'd hate to legitimize pretense by labeling him a "king."
George the Pretender.
Johann: Every time I see the guy, his head reminds me of a turtle. Not Hitler. Just a little ole turtle.
perfidius wrote on October 5, 2007 2:24 AM:Bullsmith is truly onto the nub of the nub of the matter.
We need to figure out this minute why the Democrats are so busy acting as puppets for the Bush criminal syndicate.
They're launching a new FISA Friday, joyously shredding the constitution with legislation written by their own hands.
The betrayal is intense and deep, and they are clearly deaf to our clamor. The blackmail vs. bought-and-paid for debate is just the outline of a much deeper illness.
This is the culture of corruption in a new guise.
Michael wrote on October 5, 2007 9:51 AM:Jnagarya, I am referring to the power of the purse. What do you think I am referring to? Cut off funding. It's very simple. By cut off funding I mean do not introduce appropriation measures in the house for various offices, officials, government functions. That's the power and they need to use it. Forget the senate shenanigans, stop funding and the king is going to have major problems in his attempts to destroy our country.
tekel wrote on October 5, 2007 5:28 PM:And wow, does Spakovsky look like a child molester. That should be the first question he gets asked if he ever makes it to confirmation hearings: "Have you stopped molesting children?"
Watching you wrote on October 6, 2007 10:14 AM:Open your eyes. Hans is not racist. He has been repairing our voting system because it needs it. Coincidentally, it appears the purges affect the democrats most. Why? They must be catering to illegal voters 'marginal residents', whatever. Instead of people like legal lawful citizens who have served in combat for this country, paying taxes and raising legitimate families. Quit destroying this nation with your morally bankrupt agenda. Touchy feely? Feel this when I shove the american flag right between your cheeks. Illegals demonstrating? Too many to arrest? Time for the Cobra gunships to sweep our streets with 20mm cannon and take those streets back.
marguerite wrote on October 18, 2007 10:20 AM:dearest watching you,
marguerite wrote on October 18, 2007 10:21 AM:your dream of sweeping our streets clean is on the verge of furishion, and will in fact be realized within the next 10 years. as white racest seperatest will be so far in the minority not only in these united states but globley,tne balance of power is shifting but don't worry we won't train our gun ships on you.we'll just be amused while watching you and your kind go extinct,maybe we'll preserve a few of you by taxiderm to show future generations what monsters really look like.
dearest watching you,
Linda Spencer wrote on October 18, 2007 11:06 AM:your dream of sweeping our streets clean is on the verge of furishion, and will in fact be realized within the next 10 years. as white racest seperatest will be so far in the minority not only in these united states but globley,tne balance of power is shifting but don't worry we won't train our gun ships on you.we'll just be amused while watching you and your kind go extinct,maybe we'll preserve a few of you by taxiderm to show future generations what monsters really look like.
Bush has cost us enough during his reign. He should not be allowed to make any more changes without approval for the rest of his reign.
Thank you Obama, for standing up and standing out. Good luck in your run. You have my vote. One suggestion, you seem to in the shadows, shine a little light on yourself.
Mary Purvis wrote on October 19, 2007 1:33 AM:Bush has fought for the wealthiest of the American people, we've done little to try to stop him, partly due to lack of leadership in the Democratic Party... who are not all that different than Lord Bush. If we want our country back we have to call our representatives and ask the to stop confirming Bushes cronnies and We need to fight for Obama, and fight for the elections to be fair and available to every voter in this country.
ronald M. Smith wrote on October 19, 2007 8:48 PM:Wake up America, racism is in the light of day, are we still going to turn a deaf ear, aren't we better than that.
watching you. You are a prime example of what is wrong with this country,and the political system as a whole.Who gave you the right to call for ethinic cleansing in my country! Thats right I said my country! My anscestors built this country from the ground up long before your ancestors stumbeled out of the caves of Europe.You should take a close look at the complexion of the global community.
phoebe wrote on October 20, 2007 11:49 AM:It's sad that we the people vote to put these people in office thinking they will have our best interest at heart. But instead of representing us with that interest; they make these deals behind our backs that undermind us & our Constitutional Rights every chance they get.
phoebe wrote on October 20, 2007 11:50 AM:It's sad that we the people vote to put these people in office thinking they will have our best interest at heart. But instead of representing us with that interest; they make these deals behind our backs that undermind us & our Constitutional Rights every chance they get.