GOP seeks to block Obama nominee to El Salvador post over Cuban romance

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sunday, 05.09.10

GOP seeks to block Obama nominee to El Salvador post over Cuban romance
By Juan O. Tamayo
Miami Herald

Senate Republicans are determined to block a Democratic Party activist's nomination as ambassador to El Salvador because of questions about a long-ago boyfriend who had contacts with Cuban diplomats, congressional staffers say.

The FBI cleared Mari Carmen Aponte when the issue of the boyfriend, Cuban-born businessman Roberto Tamayo, first became public after President Bill Clinton nominated her as ambassador to the Dominican Republic in 1998. Aponte withdrew from that nomination after Senate Republicans vowed to ask tough questions about Tamayo. They had dated from 1982 to 1994 and attended social functions with Cuban diplomats in Washington, D.C.

Her Obama administration nomination to the El Salvador job was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations committee April 27, with 10 Democrats endorsing her -- including Cuban-American Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey -- and eight Republicans voting no.

But the Republicans will put a hold on her nomination when it comes up in the full Senate, meaning it will need 60 votes for confirmation unless they lift the hold, said congressional staffers who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the topic.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/09/1620655/gop-seeks-to-block-obama-nominee.html

LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4373980

http://69.89.25.193.nyud.net:8090/~armandov/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/llaw-1.jpg

Mari Carmen Aponte

[flamingdem]

1. They'll use any excuse nt

[Judi Lynn]

2. Somone in LBN pointed out that there will be a LOT of opportunities this year,

starting at the end of May, when President Obama will be totally free to use a "recess appointment" to get her into that position, if he chooses. There will be one in July, after that, then a long stretch in August-September, etc.

Hope he will take advantage of this mechanism and let these lying Republicans accept a complete defeat with this nominee. She has waited long enough!