"Republicans cast doubts on Senate parliamentarian"

[jenmito]

Senate Republicans are waging a pre-emptive strike against the Senate’s parliamentarian — a hitherto little-known official who could determine the fate of the Democrats’ health care reform efforts.

In interviews with POLITICO, several Republican senators and aides cast Parliamentarian Alan Frumin — a 33-year veteran of the Senate — as someone who is predisposed to side with the Democrats if they attempt to use the reconciliation process to pass parts of their bill.

“I think clearly the majority leader has his ear, and I’ve got concerns,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). “I think if he does not look at that very careful — reconciliation is supposed to be very narrowly defined, large legislative things don’t seem to fit in those parameters — I would think that reconciliation would make or break the perception of his objectivity.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33814.html#ixzz0hAscfCCs

The Repubs. are getting SO desperate-who ever heard of the parliamentarian before? They DO play dirty. I doubt we'd ever scrape the bottom of the barrel like this. We never cast doubts on the parliamentarian the many times REPUBS. used reconciliation, and I hope the majority of people are smart enough not to fall for it.

[KingFlorez]

1. I also heard the janitor in on it too

He left the floors all wet so that Republicans would slip and have to go to the hospital, causing them to miss the vote.

[stevenleser]

13. No, the Butler did it.

I've read a lot of these mystery novels. I know how these things end.

[babylonsister]

2. Didn't the rethugs have anything to do with

appointing him in 2001? How fast they turn!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Frumin

He was appointed to the top job in 2001 after his predecessor, Bob Dove, was fired by then-Majority Leader Mississippi Republican Trent Lott.<2>

[jenmito]

5. Yes-that's one of the reasons it's so brazen of them to do this!

They really don't care about lying, probably figuring most in the media won't point this out.

[Arkana]

3. They're bashing the Senate parliamentarian?

The guy has been in there since before Reagan--and suddenly he's Public Enemy #1?

[jenmito]

4. Yup-that's why articles are being written about it.

They have no shame.

[Hekate]

6. They are disgusting. Repubs chose this guy in the first place, swearing he wouldn't ever favor Dems

... and after years of faithful and nonpartisan service to the country, the dogs turn on him.

Damn them all.

Hekate

[depakid]

7. Some of us have heard of the parliamentarian- an recall when Republicans FIRED two of them

when they didn't go along with their reconciliation efforts.

For more, see: http://openleft.com/diary/14693/senate-parliamentarian-hired-by-republicans

[annabanana]

8. "Workin' the Ref". . SOP for Repubs these days.. . . .n/t

[City Lights]

9. They demonize anyone and everyone who stands in their way.

The end always justifies the means for the GOP. They're disgusting little maggots.

[polichick]

10. They'd piss on their own mothers if they didn't get their way - sociopaths! nt

[JoePhilly]

11. They are trying to intimidate him ...

[moondust]

12. Exactly.

Despicable behavior that should be punished.

[Green_Lantern]

14. the GOP are trying to take him out...

So they can do whatever they want now and in hopes they'll retake the Senate and do whatever they want.

He stands in the way of their dictatorship.

[jenmito]

15. Yup. I really hope the media makes it VERY clear that he was appointed by

a Repub. administration. They let the Repubs. get away with way too much.

[Jennicut]

16. Okay, this smacks of desperation. If passing HCR is supposedly so damaging to Dems then why

are they trying everything to stop it?
This is going to start to backfire on them because they are getting nutty about it. They are starting to "pull a Newt"...in 1995 Newt overplayed his hand with Clinton.

[denimgirly]

17. LOL Recall Frumin was put in by the Republicans to pass the Bush tax cuts!!! Now they want him out..

[Ikonoklast]

18. POLITICO...once again, the Republicans paid mouthpiece.

I love the smell of desperation in the morning, it smells like...Victory.

[Peacetrain]

19. This is just getting stranger and stranger by the second

[Bobbie Jo]

20. This is what desperation looks like. nt