Senate confirms Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt as new EPA chief

[goobergunch]

Monday, October 27, 2003 Posted: 6:50 PM EST (2350 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Overcoming opposition from Democratic critics of President Bush's environmental policies, Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt was confirmed by the Senate Monday as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

<snip>

A number of Democratic senators, including Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, and three Democratic presidential contenders, had delayed approval by using a Senate rule that allowed them to place holds on the nomination.

But the GOP leadership decided to push the nomination through, and the final vote to confirm Leavitt was 86-0.

In nominating Leavitt, Bush said the Utah governor -- a conservative Republican with whom the president was politically close when he served as governor of Texas -- shares his philosophy of giving state and local governments more flexibility in meeting environmental standards. He said the new EPA chief would reject "the old ways of command and control from above."

more...http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/27/epa/index.html

[Sean Reynolds]

1. Well no more Gov Leavitt.

It's sorta bitter sweat.

[dolstein]

2. I think we have to distinguish between executive and judicial appointments

I don't think the Democrats in Congress owe any deference to Bush when it comes to judicial appointments. But when it comes to executive branch appointments, I think they should be confirmed absent clear evidence of incompetence, corruption or major personal problems (e.g., drug abuse). The worst thing you can say about Leavitt is that he'll carry out Bush's anti-environmental politicies. Well, that's to be expected -- Bush is an anti-environmental president, and he has every right to appoint people to the executive branch who reflect his views. The next Democratic president should be afforded the same opportunity when it comes to his (or her) executive appointments.

[NewJerseyDem]

3. I kind of agree

Basically, it doesn't matter who is the EPA administrator. Christie Whitman had a good environmental record when she was governor but it wasn't her that was making the environmental decisions when she was at the EPA, it was the White House.

However, I do feel that there are times where a particularly extreme nominee should be defeated. When nominees hold very extreme views and may be in some position of independent power, like the Attorney General or Secretary of Defense, then it is fine to reject them.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. I agree with you 100%! Russ Feingold said....

that he believed that absent an incompetent or criminal action, the President's Cabinet must be made of people who are ideologically on the same track! I too agree with this!

[SteveG]

5. I think the dems made their point

That Bushco was not good for the environment. Leavitt is to the left of *, so maybe it will be moderating. I think he will wind up with as much influence as Whitman. I like the idea that on executive appointments Dems abstain rather than reject. More Dems should do so. Executive appoinments can do damage, but they end at or before the end of the Presidents term of office. On judicial appointments fillibuster the bastards to the grave. They are permanent, we must not squander what little power we have.... we have to keep the courts at least somewhat balanced.... we cannot afford to have more uber-rightists holding lifetime appointments.

[baby_bear]

6. Reuters reports the vote as 88-8, not 86-0

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28186204.htm

US Senate confirms Leavitt as Bush's EPA chief
<snip>
WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, whose state environmental record has received both praise and scorn, won U.S. Senate confirmation on Tuesday to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

On a bipartisan vote of 88-8, the Senate approved President George W. Bush's nomination of Leavitt to succeed former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman as EPA administrator. She stepped down in May after often being at odds with conservative administration members.

</snip>

On edit, the vote was just posted at senate.gov:
Those who voted against the confirmation were
Boxer (D-CA)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Durbin (D-IL)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Schumer (D-NY)

see http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00412

s_m