Ben Nelson (D-Ne) FIghts Key Obama Appointment At Justice Department

[Omaha Steve]

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/05/14/4a0c6f8547dee

Critics question whether it's payback time

May 14, 2009


Johnsen.

Is Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson looking to slap a little payback on the Obama administration?

The conservative Democrat is bumping heads with the president on several fronts, and has not shown any public signs of giving ground.

Nelson is trying to block the confirmation of Dawn Johnsen as head of the important Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice. He has cited her having served as legal counsel for NARAL- Pro Choice America (1988-1993). She is a professor of law at Indiana University and has held several important federal posts.*

Critics have noted that Nelson was never so picky about controversial appointments made by former President George W. Bush, and that he often voted to shut off debate on their nominations.Now, Nelson represents the 60th vote the administration needs to shutoff any filibuster and allow an up-or-down vote on Johnsen’s appointment – something Nelson previously said that virtually all Bush appointees were entitled to have.

FULL story at link.

[ThomCat]

1. The more I read about Senator Nelson the more of a scumbag

he seems to be. He is adamantly opposed to reforming student loans so that they are less predatory. He is adamantly opposed to any public option to health care reform, insisting that private insurance is the only acceptable option. He is violently anti-choice.

Why the hell is this guy a Democrat?

:wtf:

[Sebastian Doyle]

2. How much longer are we going to tolerate this shit?

Opposes health care and ADMITS he's doing so because he's in the pocket of the insurance industry. Now he's opposing nominations. His voting record has always been 90% shitty. We do not need ASSHOLES like this calling themselves "Democrats".

FUCK YOU BEN NELSON. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO HUMANITY.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Nebraskans are as hard hit as anyone in this recession.

Personally, I wish we would play hardball with people like this - strip him of seniority, committee assigments, etc. Make him drive a Yugo and park in the space in the lot that always floods. Put a tuna sandwich in the pocket of his winter coat and move it to the hook over the heat register. When he naps in the Senate lounge, dip his hand in warm water.

[stillcool]

3. sent him an email...just because

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/mailapp/

[HopeOverFear]

5. My not-so-nice email to Nelson:

"FUCK YOU, NELSON! STOP BLOCKING DAWN JOHNSEN'S NOMINATION TO THE OLC, YOU ASSHOLE!"

I really did say that. Too much?

[Thrill]

6. He's pretty much a Repuke. One of the biggest Bush Enablers

If it wasn't for him, there wouldn't have been those ridiculous Bush tax cuts.

[uberblonde]

7. Let me guess.

Was he one of the "the President deserves to name his own appointees" crowd for the past eight years?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. kick!