An End To The Democrats’ Obstruction
June 24th, 2008 at 08:09pm Matt Margolis
Finally, after months and months of Democrat obstruction, the Senate confirmed five nominees to the Federal Election Commission. This confirmation will allow the FEC to finally resume functioning.
The nominees were confirmed without dissent after drawn-out talks between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and a last-minute hang-up over a demand from Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., a campaign finance crusader, to meet with all five nominees.
Though the FEC staff has been at work, the six-member commission has been inactive because it has not had a quorum to conduct business. The commission is the agency that regulates federal elections and campaign finance matters.
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement after the confirmation of the nominees.
“A fully functioning, bipartisan FEC is long overdue. I’m glad that Democrat obstruction on nominees is over so the FEC can now resume its critical role of enforcing election laws and ensuring that this election season is fair and equitable to all who are involved.”
Entry Filed under: Senate
7 Comments
1. Brian (Boston) | June 25th, 2008 at 7:42 am
You have the audacity to call the Democrats obstructionists when the Republicans have filibustered more legislation than any other Congress in history and have done so only to be prevent any progress. This is according to Trent Lott, a Republican. Two years ago the Republicans were threatening to do away with the filibuster to get through their rubber stamp policies and nominees. This is the same Republican Party who refused to even consider over 60 nominees from then President Clinton.
2. kmg | June 25th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Mitch McConnell was the one who was blocking the vote. He refused to allow each of the nominees to be voted on individually because he knew von Spakovsky would not be confirmed. When von Spakovsky withdrew, Reid came to an agreement with the Administration to go forward with the vote. McConnell continued to block it.
Why did McConnell block a vote that the White House agreed to?
McCain was violating campaign finance law by entering the system, using the promise of matching funds to secure a loan, then unilaterally withdrawing from the system. The chair of the FEC, a Republican, said he could not withdraw without the approval of the FEC and that the FEC had concerns over McCain’s loan, thereby binding McCain to the spending limits. McCain ignored the FEC and continued spending over the cap he had agreed to when he entered the public financing system. As long as there was no functioning FEC, there could be no ruling against McCain.
Why did McConnell allow the vote to happen now? McCain announced that he will take public financing for the general election. That money could not be disbursed without a functioning FEC. So, McConnell had to allow the vote, but he has done his best to stack the board. The FEC chair was removed for no stated reason.
McCain’s violation should be the first item of business for the FEC. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
3. LagrangeCalvert | June 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Yea, Matt. You have some balls calling Democrats obstructionists. Do you just make this stuff up as you go along? Republicans have filibustered more than any other Congress. And you wingnuts blame Dems for not getting anything done. Unbelievable. The Republicans essentially shut down the Senate, stifling debate, in the begin of June. Repubs wanted a 400 page report report (Climate Security Act) to be read aloud. It took about 5 hours. Republicans are filibustering and obstructing every way they can so they can say its the Democrats fault if nothing gets done and you saps by it hook line and sinker.
4. Magnum Serpentine | June 25th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I agree with LagrangeCalvert and Brian. And KMG is right. it was the Republic Obstructionist who blocked this in the beginning. and there has been absolutely NO Democratic so-called obstructionism. 100% of the Obstructionism has come from the Republic Party.
Unfortunately I suspect, in my opinion, that the FEC, now under the george control will cheat and lie and we may not have a fair election this year, that is my concern.
5. The New Conservative | June 25th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Lets all stop arguing about whose fault everything is and get something done. You guys are as bad as Congress.
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