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Specter gets subcommittee gavel, after all

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor May 7, 2009 11:29 AM

And the Arlen Specter party switch saga continues.

Two days after his new Senate Democratic colleagues stiffed him and stripped the seniority he built up in 28 years as a Republican, the Pennsylvania senator was given a consolation prize today.

Specter will get a powerful Judiciary subcommittee chairmanship -- an influential perch from which to gather his campaign for reelection next year.

Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, is giving up his chairmanship of the Crime and Drugs subcommittee and will instead become chairman of a new Judiciary subcommittee on human rights, according to press reports.

The move, Durbin said, would "best utilize Senator Specter's talents and experience in our caucus."

It will also serve to mollify Specter as the Judiciary Committee prepares to hold confirmation hearings for President Obama's nominee to replace the retiring David Souter on the Supreme Court.

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Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha big deal. Specter is done. All he cared about is saving his can. This should be his last term. Now get rid of Murtha, the king of pork. Maybe he could jump ship and join the Republicans. What this country needs is the independents to take over. Term limits equal to the presidency. And limit retirement to 1/3 annual income.

Posted by Jim May 7, 09 12:06 PM
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What bumbling fools we have down there in D.C.. Well, he's the Democrat party's problem now, if he can even get re-elected.

Posted by me May 7, 09 12:21 PM
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Its all a game to them. When will they ever realize that they are playing with people's lives and think about what they are doing before they do it to us.

Posted by Bill May 7, 09 12:25 PM
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Problem is they do know what they are doing to people's lives. They just don't care.

Posted by patilee May 7, 09 12:55 PM
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Surely, the IQ of these guys is just flabergasting in a twisted way.
The comments they make the stuff they get away with, we hold this responsibility or a good number of us who voted for them, i would say only a fraction of all elected politicians are ethical, but even they have self promoting interests at the end of the day. We need a group of pious, ethical, simple people with no vested interest to appoint people to run the affairs of the people in general and they then inturn appoint/elect a leader who is humble, pious and has inherent leadership abilities to lead people for their good.

Posted by Solomon May 7, 09 01:01 PM
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Good move......something tells me that Arlen Specter is changing parties to also put a monkey wrench on the good work that the Democrats are doing. A spy to say the least -to assist his Republican Posse.

Good Luck Arlen.....jcolon

Posted by Juan Colon May 7, 09 01:13 PM
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