Obama appointee to face bruising confirmation fight

[spanone]

bipartisanship my ass


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Barack Obama's presidential transition, already disrupted by the sudden withdrawal of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, may face another challenge in the confirmation hearings of his pick for attorney general.

While the Senate is expected to easily confirm the majority of the president-elect's Cabinet appointments, it increasingly appears that attorney general designate Eric Holder could face a grueling round of questions next week from Senate Republicans who are already emboldened by charges of "pay-to-play" politics against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and a federal investigation into Richardson, who Obama picked as his commerce secretary.

"Republicans are seeing enough different stories in the taints of possible corruption around Democratic politicians lately," said Alexander Keyssar, a professor of history and social policy at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. "Where they can score some political points around this corruption issue, they will try to do it."

Holder has drawn heavy criticism from Republicans over his involvement in former President Bill Clinton's last-minute pardon of Mark Rich, a major Democratic donor and billionaire financier charged with federal tax evasion.

Clinton pardoned Rich in the final hours of his administration on January 20, 2001. Holder was a deputy attorney general at the time.

Senate Democrats have long braced for a tough committee hearing over Holder, especially after Republicans successfully delayed its start to obtain more time to review his lengthy record in both the public and private sector.

But after Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, the judiciary committee's ranking Republican, unexpectedly took to the Senate floor Tuesday to castigate Holder over a wide range of issues -- even comparing him to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales who was forced to resign -- Democrats may have to brace for a tougher fight than they expected.

"President-elect Obama chose not to seek my advice or even to give me advance notice in my capacity as ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee," Specter said. "Had he done so, I could have given him some facts about Mr. Holder's background that he might not have known."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/07/holder.confirmation/index.html

[Skwmom]

1. But.... it was reported that the Republicans were asked and agreed

that Holder would have an easy confirmation process. Who could have known.....

[spanone]

3. if only Obama would have consulted arlen specter--its all about arlen

[malaise]

2. Aren't these appointments simple majority votes?

Didn't Clarence Thomas skate through 52-48?

[AndyTiedye]

14. Need 60 to Break the Automatic Repiglickin' Filibuster

[Old and In the Way]

4. The Republicans need to nuetralize any Democratic DOJ AG

It doesn't matter who Obama would pick...they are scared shitless of a Democratic administration having control of Justice. If I were Obama, I let the Republicans know, in no uncertain terms, that if they want to hamstring Holder, he's prepared to nominate someone else who'll be even tougher. Keep raising the stakes, Obama.

[FSogol]

5. Hey Specter, Why would ANYONE seek your advice?

With all you talk of standing up for what is right, where the F were you these last 8 years, you partisan hypocrite.

[spanone]

6. someone needs to remind arlen there will be C H A N G E

[SoCalDem]

7. and.. that elections have consequences

:rofl:

[spanone]

9. the thugs act like nothing happened in november....m a n d a t e

[PM7nj]

12. He's is floundering. He has no idea what to do.

As always, he's all talk and no action. Wait a few weeks, I bet he has a completely new tune. And then another after that.

He is up for reelection in two years and he has no idea how he is going to win. On one hand he has to move to the right to fight off a challenge from the Santorum-wing of the PA GOP. But then (if he survives the primary) he has face a Democrat in the general. The moderate independents from the Philly suburbs used to hand Specter the election every 6 years. A lot of them are Democrats now. If the Democrats run a strong candidate from the southeast (Murphy, Shwartz, Sestak) then Specter is probably toast. If Rendell runs... well, bye bye Arlen.

[pleah]

8. The rethugs must be scared shitless of Holder.

Gee, I wonder why?

[spanone]

10. i think when bu$h* starts to pardon every criminal in the world, arlen might shut up

[pleah]

11. I wish there was some way to stop him from

doing that.:(

[EFerrari]

13. I don't like Holder for anything but I don't like Specter for less.

Here we go.

[trof]

15. So...Gonzales was just hunky-dory with them

but they have a problem with Holder?
No hypocrisy there.
Nope.

[spanone]

16. this is all about obstructing the new president's agenda...

[trof]

17. New day. Same shit.