Alabama senator releases holds on Obama nominees

[Lasher]

Source: The Washington Post

WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has released the "holds" he had placed on every one of President Barack Obama's nominees, his office said Monday.

"The purpose of placing numerous holds was to get the White House's attention on two issues that are critical to our national security - the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the FBI's Terrorist Device Analytical Center," Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo said in a statement released to news organizations Monday night.

Shelby wants the tanker and the new FBI explosives center to be built in Alabama. Senators frequently block individual appointments, but Shelby's blanket hold was unusual.

Now that he has gotten Obama's attention, Graffeo said, "Sen. Shelby has decided to release his holds on all but a few nominees directly related to the Air Force tanker acquisition."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

---

The White House said that it agreed to none of Shelby's demands, and that the senator released the holds on his own accord.

Related DU thread here.

[rpannier]

1. Get them through

Give Bama nothing
Move the MP base from Alabama to another state

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Not like Alabama will ever go Democratic anyway.

[rpannier]

6. Aslong as Shelby comes through for the state it never will nt

[apnu]

31. Spot on! This is about Shelby saying: "Where's my pork!" (nt)

[OnyxCollie]

36. Alabama HAD a Democratic governor.

As far as I know, Leura Canary is still the US Attorney. I wonder if Shelby had a hold on her replacement.

[Dollface]

40. Wow! Good looking dog.

[OnyxCollie]

41. Thanks!

That's my dog, Dante.

[Drunken Irishman]

45. Well I meant in a presidential election.

[Enthusiast]

15. Move them to a

rust belt state that really needs them.

[kentauros]

33. This kind of thing has been my thought from the beginning.

Shelby wants to try blackmail. Fine, expect consequences, like major military bases shut down and moved to appreciative states, even paying to move all support civilians, too. Imagine the outcry of something like that

I have to wonder if something similar was said to him that's not getting reported...

[No Elephants]

59. +1, but what are the odds?

[Bitwit1234]

3. He lied thru his teeth

He put the hold on because a contract was given to Boing. He had received money from lobbyist from the Sun Aircraft company in France. He insisted the government drop the contract with Boing, and American company and give it to the French company...what a piece of s**t. Wanting to outsource more jobs because he received lobbyist money from another country. This should be carried to the press and they should run with it, but..bet you anything they won't even mention it.

[AndyA]

18. And we're looking for terrorists in the Middle East?

Sounds to me like we know of one right here. It's all just a game. Alabama should get nothing. Make the people there mad, and perhaps they'll boot his sorry ass out.

[Mopar151]

42. My E-mail to the "gentleman": from Alabama - last week

Sir -
It is actions such as this that make Alabama a national joke. There are strong national security issues involved in awarding the tanker contract to Boeing - including direct ownership of Northrop's prime subcontractor by several foreign governments. And your state's reputation in many parts of the aircraft business is none too good, particularly in the areas of employee training and safety, and it's relationship to quality control. I have direct knowledge on this subject, and it says volumes about how things are done in Alabama. As does your use of this obstructionist tactic against America's national security in awarding of a vital military contract.
You, sir, need to get over some of your personal issues, and recognize the legitimately elected President,(the first this century!) and allow the Senate to go about the business of actually voting on the nominees.
John Reed, Center Barnstead, NH

If any "techies" want more info on turbine rebuilding safety & quality in Alabama, let me know

[xultar]

4. Keith busting his ass had nothing to do with that did it?

[Lasher]

7. I'd say that's just what happened.

Keith and others. And I hope they're not through with him. Not by a long shot.

[cutlassmama]

16. KO has done a lot of good for our side n/t

[mr1956]

29. All Keith did was tell the truth

Don't equate Keith to doing something for "our" side. He acted as any responsible journalist should have.

[NotThisTime]

35. And how many are that responsible in the first place?

[No Elephants]

60. No, he's acted as a partisan commentator (which I appreciate). Knowing the difference is crucial.

[DFW]

5. As a Southerner, I'd like to provide a translation of what Shelby's spokeman said

"The purpose of placing numerous holds was to get the White House's attention on two issues that are critical to our national security - the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the FBI's Terrorist Device Analytical Center," Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo said in a statement released to news organizations Monday night.

To those that might not be familiar with the extent of corruption in some parts of the South, let me translate that into English:

"The purpose of placing numerous holds was to hope that not too much publicity would be focused on who was the money behind those holds, and what the Senator had to gain personally from the business potentially brought to Alabama. He was hoping for minimal negative publicity for being a sole asshole of obstruction in the Senate to appointees that are needed by the country. The Senator doesn't give a rat's ass about the country, but cares very much about his own political standing and future financial well-being. As too much light was being shed on this for the Senator's comfort, he has now decided to release the hold on most of the nominees. Some nominees directly related to his potential future finances are still being kept on hold. The cost of yachts off Mobile are rising exponentially, and the Senator's Senate retirement package will not come close to covering the cost of even a modest 60 footer."

[pleah]

24. Nailed it.

[BonnieJW]

30. Beautiful

You might want to send the good senator your on point observations at www.senate.gov . I'm sure he will appreciate knowing at what level of contempt we all hold him.

[DFW]

32. It would just fly right past him.

I was born and raised in the South. Although there are a lot of wonderful, enlightened people there,
it is still not politically cool to be that way. Ignorance and arrogance still get you a long way
with rural voters, and that's what we mostly are. Therefore, that's mostly what we end up sending
to Washington to represent us. We're always hoping things will improve, and there are islands of civilization,
Dallas and Austin in TX, for example. But so far, we're still too much Strom Thurmond and not enough Al Gore.
Political disputes are still all too often settled with punctured tires and rocks through windows in the
middle of the night in my part of the country, although it is not "In The Heat Of The Night" everywhere.
But we're still the place where people are quickest to label Obama a "socialist," and the slowest to admit
they haven't the slightest idea what a "socialist" is.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Maybe he figured out that

since Congress is on recess next week for the whole week (short week anyway due to President's Day), that every single one of the outstanding appointments could be put in as recess appointments? IMHO, Obama should go on and do the recess appointments anyway and end this nonsense in order to move forward with governing.

[Lasher]

9. That's exactly what I would do if I were Obama.

Every single one.

[ChicagoSuz219]

10. Did somebody tell him blackmail was illegal? n/t

[Lasher]

12. In a manner of speaking, yes.

Although extortion is probably a more accurate way to describe the tactic.

[ChicagoSuz219]

21. Not sure what the difference is... do you know? n/t

[Lasher]

43. Blackmail is extortion but all extortion is not blackmail.

With no sinister threat of disclosure it's not blackmail.

[ChicagoSuz219]

48. Gotcha...

...I thought maybe one had to do with money, and one just threats.

[Lasher]

49. What's that flag you got there?

I've tried to identify it but came up short.

[ChicagoSuz219]

54. It's Haiti's flag...

I put it up the day of the earthquake.

[Lasher]

55. OK thanks, I was searching blue over orange.

Shoulda been looking for blue over red. Sometimes I can't see straight.

[ChicagoSuz219]

57. Does look sorta orange...

I've got an orange/blue flag here that says: CHICAGO 2016. (sigh)

[Lasher]

58. Here, have a heart.

Hope it makes ya feel a tad better.

[ChicagoSuz219]

65. It does! :-)

Thank you soooooooooooooooooo much, Lasher! Have a great rest-of-the-day!!

[Lasher]

11. Delete

Wrong place.

[Solly Mack]

13. K&R

[fasttense]

14. Harry Reid can decide if he will honor any "hold"

"Ultimately, it is up to the majority leader of the Senate—who sets the chamber’s agenda after consulting various people—to decide whether, or for how long, he will honor a colleague’s hold."

http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%2...

So, Shelby can only do this with Harry Reid's help.

Democratic leaders are their own worse enemy. Do you think a RepubliCON majority would honor our holds?

[saigon68]

17. Harry will be "retiring" soon Nov 2010

[Kablooie]

23. Really? Who's next? Some blue dog I'll bet.

[saigon68]

26. The Nelson "Twins" are also on that short list

[No Elephants]

61. Obama and the DNC are suppporting Reid, so I doubt a Purple Snake will be next. More likely, a

Rethug.

[rpannier]

66. Durbin or Schumer

Odds at this point are on Schumer. I read in several places that he has a lock on about 15 of the votes

Durbin will most likely not try for the post (even though he's the logical successor) because he's from Illinois and having the Pres and Senate majority leader from the same state could pose problems (PR)

Neither Nelson could get it. Ben is viewed by many in the Senate as a negative influence on the Senate as someone who's out for himself, rather than the good of the whole -- his support of the filibuster against Obama's NLRB nominee.

If Reid loses, they'll be looking for someone who is not vulnerable to being ousted in the near future.

That brings us back to Schumer and possibly Kerry. Though Schumer is the better choice (IMO) because he's more aggressive than Kerry.

[rasputin1952]

19. Shelby is a punk...

about as worthless as any other R that plays these stupid clown games.

To be sure, we have our clods as well...but the R's have virtually no real power in Congress, they should be shuttered off into a dark closet and left to wail and rot.

[democracy1st]

20. +1

[No Elephants]

62. Pubs have a lot of power in Congress, but only bc the Dem Caucus includes so many

Purple Snakes. And, for whatever reason, neither Reid nor Obama chooses to play hardball.

Maybe they're looking ahead to when the Dems are in the minority, but that's pointless. When Dems are in the minority, Pubs will be bad to them, no mater what.

[rasputin1952]

64. The ony "power"' R's have is perceived power...

They are going to lose that soon...if new rules are placed to kill off this ridiculous abuse of the filibuster, they will go down extremely hard. I suspect that is coming pretty soon. The people are seriously pissed that the GOP can pull off this kind of crap, and it is about time these blowhards start listening to the people or they will all be on the unemployment lines...

The R's suck, they are digging a very deep grave, I'm thinking they'll all climb into it pretty soon...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. If what Shelby says is true...

then Congress needs to revise the rules surrounding the privelege of putting holds on nominees. He basically held the country hostage in an effort to achieve his personal goals, and should be censured.

[Igel]

46. Shelby's not the first.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jun-15-Tue-...

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2010/0...
"Reid made one smart political move at the time—he excluded military and judicial nominees from his hold"--unlike Shelby's.

I don't know if Feinstein's hold on "all" nominations made the same exclusions.

Earmarks for your district, an appointment for a former employee, don't know that there's a huge difference. (Oddly, I'd say "former employee" counts as more of a "personal goal". But maybe that's just me.)

[berni_mccoy]

25. Don't be surprised if these "demands" were already planned there. This would be tricky politics

A politician makes a demand he knows is going to be fulfilled.

Then he performs political theater in an effort to stand for those demands.

Then he gives in.

Then the "demands" are later apparently "met".

Then the Administration is made to look week and Shelby looks like a hero (at least in Alabama).

[lib2DaBone]

27. The Senate...One Big version of E-Bay. Buy..Sell..Trade...

[penndragon69]

28. Shelby is just another extorsionist.

Thanks to this pathetic piece of shit, key security positions were sitting empty that MIGHT have
been able to flag and stop the underwear bomber before he burned his nuts with acid.

Greed,corruption and personal arrogance are what defines jack-off shelby.
A pathetic piece of refugniCON garbage, a true domestic terrorist.

[Gin]

34. can anyone track his demands to see if they were met? If they were

then I agree it's kabuki theater.

[No Elephants]

63. Presidential appointees were going to work security at the airport in the Netherlands?

[ensho]

37. may Shelby fall down and never get up

a disgusting man

[The Stranger]

38. What the fuck are we waiting for? Why aren't we getting these nominees through?

Why are we always waiting for the Republicans to let us do things?

[Lasher]

47. When he was on TV today Obama warned he might make recess appointments.

And I thought he should not have tipped his hand. But wait, it's not the same as it was when Congressional Democrats finally blocked Junior's recess appointments. Remember, we had one member come in each day to open a session for about 5 minutes so that Congress was technically not in recess. We control Congress. Republicans don't have the authority to do the same.

We have the power. It's way past time to use it. We could crush GOP obstructionists who are blocking Obama's nominees.

[onehandle]

39. Publicity can be a two-edged sword. Shelby is a wimp. nt

[krispos42]

44. Here's a shocking idea...

...why don't we ASK THE FBI WHERE THEY THINK THEIR LABORATORY SHOULD BE???


Based on, yanno, needs and efficiency and that sort of thing.

[thereismore]

50. He got called on it, so he backed down. Republican worm. nt

[kiranon]

51. Alabama needs to elect another Senator - this one won't be bringing

home the pork this year. Someone needs to set the tone for Congress since it doesn't seem to be able to set one that gets any work done. The two projects should not go to Alabama and Sen. Shelby needs a different office and perhaps parking space. If it's horse trading time, it's time for Sen. Shelby to support the President's agenda as well as obstruct it.

[librechik]

52. Can't stand the sunshine, Shelby?

WE"RE ON TO YOU, you pig!

[Arkana]

53. Something happened--we just don't know what.

[Lasher]

56. There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear.