calfoxwc Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Specter Will Be Junior Democrat on Committees By John Stanton Roll Call StaffMay 5, 2009, 8:55 p.m. Despite promises from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) would retain his seniority after switching parties, Specter will be put at the end of the seniority line on all his committees but one under a resolution approved on the floor late Tuesday. Under the modified organizing resolution, Specter will not keep his committee seniority on any of the five committees that he serves on and will be the junior Democrat on all but one — the chamber’s Special Committee on Aging. On that committee, he will be next to last in seniority. As a result, Specter — who as a Republican was ranking member on the Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, as well as ranking member of the panel’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education — will now rank behind all the other Democrats, at least until the end of this Congress. According to a senior Democratic aide, it remains unclear whether Specter — who will still retain his seniority in the Senate outside of the committees — will see a boost in his committee seniority should he be re-elected for the next session. The status of his seniority for the next Congress will be determined once the 112th Congress convenes in 2011, the aide said. Democrats said that while unrelated, Specter’s comments to the New York Times Magazine this weekend indicating he would support former Sen. Norm Coleman’s (R-Minn.) disputed re-election bid against Al Franken have angered many Democrats. “Sen. Specter better watch comments like these. They won’t help him in the caucus,” a Democratic leadership aide said, adding that the comments have “caused a lot of heartburn in the caucus.” David Drucker and Emily Pierce contributed to this report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalBrownsFan Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 I guess changing parties didn't really help him, now did it. His first mistake was believing anything Reid and Pelosi told him. You got screwed over by the Democrats Arlen, all to save your ass in the re-election bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 There are political power struggles within the democratic party, this may be good for all of us. If they cant act on the same page then most of the legislation that has been ramroded through will be stifled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted May 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 I don't despise him for changing parties, I just worry he was independently liberal anyways, and jumped on board the Dem ship. It troubles me that he talks like a conservative to get elected, and now his move leaves little check and balance vs the left in Congress. We can only hope there's enough decent Dems and Reps in Congress to stop things from going too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 He has shown his true colors and went for the money and power thinking that it would be an easy transition. You would think after dealing with the swine for so many years he would've learned by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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