With colleague's departure, opportunity knocks for some in House
Campaign coffers, panel chairs eyed
WASHINGTON -- Representative Richard E. Neal says he is happy he will not have to sleep in the living room anymore, once his roommate, Representative Martin T. Meehan, gives up the bedroom. The Democrats' House Campaign Committee chairman is already lusting after Meehan's $5.1 million campaign bank account. And other colleagues are eyeing Meehan's subcommittee chairmanship of the House Armed Services Committee.
This is how Capitol Hill says a collective, heartfelt goodbye to a fellow lawmaker.
The Congressional Record is full of references to "my dear friend" and "the gentleman from Massachusetts," and, indeed, Meehan's colleagues say they will miss him when he leaves to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell campus.
But Meehan's departure, expected in July, presents opportunities, as well.
Neal, a Springfield Democrat who shares a one-bedroom apartment in Washington with Meehan, said he will need a new roommate to save on the rent, but plans to move into the bedroom Meehan has occupied. Meehan, a Lowell Democrat who served 14 years, got dibs on the bedroom because he moved in first.
"If it had been by seniority," deadpanned Neal, who has 18 years in office, "he'd be out in the street."
Representative Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said he is sorry to see Meehan go. But he is hoping for a parting gift: cash from Meehan's $5.1 million campaign chest.
Meehan had irked many of his House colleagues when he refused to write a big check after party leaders asked him to contribute to the effort to elect 2006 Democratic congressional candidates. At the time, Meehan said he had already done his part, raising money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and saw no reason to deplete his own campaign account.
The controversy abated after the Democrats picked up 30 House seats to take control .
But with party officials already gearing up for the 2008 elections, Van Hollen said, "we'll be talking to Marty Meehan about his pot of gold."
Representative Neil Abercrombie , a Democrat and a good friend of Meehan's, said he still is not ready to see Meehan go.
"He can't leave if I break both of his legs," quipped Abercrombie, an avid weight lifter. "I hate it that he's leaving. I love Marty."
But the Hawaii lawmaker quickly produced a list of the more senior members of the House Armed Services Committee who might take Meehan's place as subcommittee chairman. Next in line appears to be Representative Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, Abercrombie said, because those ahead of McIntyre in seniority already have chairmanships.
Meehan's loss will diminish the clout of the 10-member Massachusetts delegation; whomever voters choose to replace him will automatically become the least senior lawmaker in the 435-member body. Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Newton, said he hoped House leaders would appoint a Pentagon skeptic to the Armed Services Committee, which has a reputation as one of the more conservative in the House.
"It's important to have someone who takes a more liberal position on Armed Services; Marty was able to do that," Frank said.
Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Malden and dean of the Bay State delegation, said he was certain that Democrats would retain control of the seat, but were sorry to lose their colleague. "Marty was an extremely valued member of our congressional delegation," Markey said. "We will miss him." 