How Did Kerry Try To Thwart DeMint's Honduras Trip -- And How Did DeMint Foil Him?

[babylonsister]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/how-did-kerry-try-to-thwart-demints-honduras-trip--and-how-did-demint-foil-him.php?ref=fpb

How Did Kerry Try To Thwart DeMint's Honduras Trip -- And How Did DeMint Foil Him?
Eric Kleefeld | October 2, 2009, 1:37PM


So what exactly is the deal with Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) trip to Honduras -- which is being done in an effort to support the recent military coup, contrary to current U.S. foreign policy -- and the failed effort by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to stop it?

Frederick Jones, communications director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a Kerry spokesman, explained the distinction to us: Kerry was not blocking DeMint from going to Honduras -- any American can legally travel there -- but the issue was over government funding and plane travel for an official fact-finding mission. "Clearly, as an American citizen, Sen. DeMint is free to travel to Honduras commercially."

Kerry, as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, blocked DeMint's funding because DeMint has been holding up key nominations for foreign policy officials in Latin America -- thus obstructing the committee's business and the U.S. government overall in working on the region. In response, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stepped in and obtained the funding for DeMint from another source, which has not yet been identified.

Calls to the DeMint and McConnell offices were not returned. Jones' statement, firing back at DeMint for blocking the nominations, is available after the jump.

"Senator DeMint's statement wins an A for 'audacity.' Thanks to DeMint's intransigence, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee can't hold hearings to receive testimony from the most knowledgeable and relevant witnesses on our policy in Central and South America. Sen. DeMint is blocking the nominations of two key officials who will implement President Obama's foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere -- Arturo Valenzuela, President Obama's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Tom Shannon, the current Assistant Secretary and nominee to be Ambassador to Brazil. The Foreign Relations Committee always prefers to operate in a bi-partisan and collegial fashion, and it did so when it approved these two nominees by votes of 14 to 4 for Mr. Shannon and 15 to 4 for Mr. Valenzuela. But now Sen. DeMint refuses to let the nominations of two distinguished public servants even be considered on the floor of the Senate. While he continues to claim that all he wants is a debate, the fact is that he has repeatedly turned down offers to have a reasonable debate on the floor, followed by a vote, so that he can continue to make a political point. When Senator DeMint returns, he should finally allow the fair debate he has been asking for."

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Thanks for update!

:hi:

Will be monitoring this... The South Carolina repukes continue to jump the shark.

[safeinOhio]

2. Didn't someone, a republican

use recess appointments? I'd like to see the President pardon a turkey and make about 20 recess appointments in one day.

[indepat]

3. If obstruction purely for the purpose of obstruction doesn't rise to some high crime, if not

treason, perhaps it should. :P