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Barre Montpelier Times-Argus (VT)Back on center stage
Sen. Leahy resurgent in new Democratic Congress June 18, 2007
By Ross Sneyd Associated Press
MONTPELIER, Vt. — U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy is back in the limelight.
From Guantanamo Bay terrorism suspects to the dismissal of U.S. attorneys, he is enjoying a resurgence in power and visibility since the Democrat-controlled 111th Congress took office in January.
As a veteran senator in an institution where longevity equals power, Leahy's views have taken on added importance now that his party is back in the majority. With that seniority comes the clout of the chairmanship of an influential committee that both has been assigned and has seized the role of probing what Democrats see as the abuses and shortcomings of the Bush administration.
"There's a lot of things I've done in the past, but I've had to do it at the willingness of Republicans who set the agenda," said Leahy. "Now, with the Judiciary Committee, I set the agenda. I've set the agenda on this investigation on the firing of U.S. attorneys. I've done it not just to say, 'Look at what the Bush administration has done,' but to make it clear whoever the next president is, if they do something, we'll point the spotlight at it."
It's a spotlight in which Leahy clearly feels comfortable. A fixture on the Sunday morning TV talk show circuit, he is often sought out both because of his position and because he doesn't shy away from the rough-and-tumble side of politics.
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