Specter in New Trouble

[Gman]

Specter in New Trouble
By The Prowler
Published 1/21/2005 12:09:38 AM

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter went back on his word to Republican caucus members and conservative groups alike when he recently hired Hannibal G. Williams II Kemerer, who until recently was the NAACP's assistant general counsel. Specter hired Kemerer against the wishes of his senior Judiciary Committee staff. "We warned him this was going to cause trouble, but Specter said it was his committee, we are his staff, and he's going to do what he believes is right," says a Judiciary Committee staffer.

Kemerer was a protégé of Elaine Jones, who three years ago, as head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, lobbied Sen. Ted Kennedy to delay confirmation of many of President Bush's judicial nominees to a federal circuit court where her group had pending litigation. When Jones and Kennedy's deal was revealed, she was forced to resign.

Specter hired Kemerer to deal specifically with the nominations and vetting of federal judicial nominees, a position many conservatives were led to believe by Specter would go, at the very least, to a Republican, and most likely to a conservative.
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http://www.americanprowler.com/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7659

The AFL-CIO's endorsement of Spector was a great move and could well have saved us from the very worst of what would have happened if Spector were to have lost to Toomey in the primary.

[ckramer]

1. Published 1/21/2005?

[Gman]

3. I meant to post it

in GD... I alerted on it to move it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I thought Arlen Sphincter was a total ass during the Monica debacle,

and now, amazingly, he's one of the better ones. Never thought I'd actually feel like sticking up for that guy; it drives me nuts that there are so many that are actually worse than he is.

[sendero]

5. Sometimes...

... I wonder. Maybe Mr. Specter, having witnessed the performance of the wingnut he helped put on the Supreme Court, is trying to atone.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Total ass? He actually did not vote to convict Clinton

[Pirate Smile]

4. Very interesting. It is from the American Spectator. Here is more:

Specter's decisions are expected to have rippling effects. Already there is talk among some conservative groups of punishing fellow Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum for what they view was duplicitous behavior in backing Specter's candidacy for the Judiciary chairmanship. Santorum, who expects to have a tough reelection fight in 2006, is expected to distance himself from Specter in the coming days.

Meanwhile, other conservatives are attempting to figure out what can be done to have Specter removed as chairman. Meetings are planned on Friday and early next week with Sens. Jon Kyl and John Cornyn to map out strategies. One figure looming large, but who has not yet spoken out on this issue, is Sen. Sam Brownback. According to Senate insiders, Brownback was very active early in the controversy in November and early December when Specter's candidacy and position as Judiciary Chairman was in doubt. Brownback's staff met with a number of grassroots organizations actively opposed to Specter's chairmanship. And this was before Brownback knew he would be sitting on the Judiciary Committee.

As for Senate Republican leadership, it is believed that Sen. Bill Frist is not necessarily inclined to prevent his caucus from taking steps either to punish Specter or to leave him twisting in the wind. "When Specter was worried about his job, you didn't see Frist out there patting him on the back and telling him it would be okay," says a staffer on the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "Frist was very fair and made Specter earn it. Now Specter has pissed all that good will away, and we want blood."

This will be fun to watch them fight among themselves. Hopefully, they alienate all the moderates - Specter, Chaffee, Snow, Collins.

I'm glad to see they haven't totally cowed Specter.

[hopein08]

6. Please do...punish Santorum, that is!

Living in PA, I don't like Specter on principle (primarily his being a Republican) but he does have a redeeming moment or two.

But, since Specter's just been re-elected...by all means...carry on punishing Santorum for the "sins" of Specter. I don't think (and pray that I'm right) a more conserverative candidate could be elected over a Democrat to the Senate, that is if they knock out Santorum in the primaries, for PA (we are sort of blue after all).

Any help is appreciated!!

[justy329]

7. My dream is that the WH and the GOP leadership

will totally treat the Liberal/Moderate Republicans like crap.

And that mass defections occur that could lead to Dem takeover of the senate. Snowe, Collins, Chafee, Specter, Hagel, Lugar, and McCain are those that I could see defecting.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Does this mean he retrieved his testicles from the purse he had to put

them in for the Repukes in order to stay on as Chairman of the Senate Judicial Committee?

[gordianot]

9. I doubt he ever had any to begin with.

This is a prime Warren Commission staffer puke. The damage done by that piece of work will curse us all for years to come.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. What do you think are Spector's motives?

[gordianot]

12. Look at him today he got his payback.

He forgets from time to time who owns him.

[fooj]

13. My God! They spend so much time wanting to "punish" one another!

How in the world do they ever find time to honor their commitments they made when elected? Too much BS going on in D.C. Personally, I think a COMPLETE 100% housecleaning is in order. Let them all run again...it would be interesting to see how many are allowed to return! How can anyone really be happy with their performance? Honestly!