Report: Shelby Blocks All Obama Nominations In The Senate Over AL Earmarks

[FourScore]

Couldn't we use this somehow to end the super-majority?

Report: Shelby Blocks All Obama Nominations In The Senate Over AL Earmarks
Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 4, 2010, 9:19PM

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has put an extraordinary "blanket hold" on at least 70 nominations President Obama has sent to the Senate, CongressDaily (sub. req.) reports. The hold means no nominations can move forward unless Senate Democrats can secure a 60-member cloture vote to break it, or until Shelby lifts the hold.

"While holds are frequent," CongressDaily reports, "Senate aides said a blanket hold represents a far more aggressive use of the power than is normal."

Shelby has been tight-lipped about the holds, offering only an unnamed spokesperson to reporters today to explain them. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid broke the news of the blanket hold this afternoon after Shelby announced it to him in a letter sent today. Reid aides told CongressDaily the hold extends to "all executive nominations on the Senate calendar."

According to the report, Shelby is holding Obama's nominees hostage until a pair of lucrative programs that would send billions in taxpayer dollars to his home state get back on track. CongressDaily laid out the programs Shelby wants to move forward or else:

- A $40 billion contract to build air-to-air refueling tankers. From the report: "Northrop/EADS team would build the planes in Mobile, Ala., but has threatened to pull out of the competition unless the Air Force makes changes to a draft request for proposals."

- An improvised explosive device testing lab for the FBI. From CongressDaily: " is frustrated that the Obama administration won't build" the center, which Shelby earmarked $45 million for in 2008. The center is due to be based "at the Army's Redstone Arsenal."

Though a Shelby spokesperson would not confirm that these programs were behind the blanket hold, the Senator expressed his frustration about the progress on both through a spokesperson earlier in the day, the magazine reports.

Back in Alabama, the Mobile Press-Register picked up the story early this afternoon. The paper confirmed the blanket hold, and reported that a Shelby spokesperson "did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking confirmation of the senator's action or his reason for doing so."

A San Diego State University professor and "Congressional expert" told the paper "he knew of no previous use of a blanket hold" in recent history.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/report-shelby-blocks-all-obama-nominations-in-the-senate-over-al-earmarks.php

[aquart]

1. Is he also holding his breath till he turns blue?

I'm getting terribly tired of these babies in suits.

[DeSwiss]

2. K&R

- Broken system, indeed.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Fuck This Shit.

These shits need to be exposed and forced to quit fucking around with our lives, our economy, with progress.

Nothing, and I mean not a goddamn thing gets done with congress.

Nearly anything accomplished has been done despite them.

Fuck.

:mad:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. If the Senate Dems and Obama allow this without forcing Shelby to back down, or

without changing the Senate rules as a result, nuclear option or whatever, they deserve to go down in infamy.

[Enrique]

5. hang this on all republicans

every republican senator should be asked to defend this every time they're interviewed.

[Arkana]

6. Fuck this guy.

If Dems were smart, the morning shows would be fucking BARRAGED with Democrats--ANGRY Democrats--screaming BLOODY MURDER. "THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T GET THINGS DONE! WE TRY TO PUT PEOPLE IN THESE IMPORTANT POSTS AND THE GOP CRIES LIKE A LITTLE BITCH WITH A SKINNED KNEE AND HOLDS UP THE GOVERNING PROCESS! THIS IS THE REASON! RIGHT HERE!" That's what they should FUCKING say.

I...just...FUCK. FUCK THIS SHIT. FUCK this BROKEN FUCKING GOVERNMENT THAT ALLOWS ONE FUCKING SENATOR TO DESTROY THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

Of course, Senator Whinybitch will get his pet projects, and then go RIGHT THE FUCK BACK to railing about "WASTEFUL GUMMINT SPENDING".

[old guy]

7. If this isn't extortion,

it's extortions brother.

[dmr]

16. Sounds like it to me! Send in the Capitol Police & arrest his ass.

Oh, if only it could happen ...

But I guess it would be hard to prove.

On the other hand, arrest him under the Patriot Act, anyway. Surely he's terrorizing the United States Senate, and America as a whole - as well as denying Federal departments and agencies the appointments they deserve.

If he just says he wants his earmarks - well, that's bad. Isn't he from the party of no?

What do you wanna bet the pugs plan to take turns doing this?

[Me.]

8. 3 Words

Blanket recess appointments

[eleny]

9. Recess apointments

[thunder rising]

10. Porky ... a good nickname for Shelby. or Keshagesh (greedy guts)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/11/27/808528/-Native-American-Heritage-Day:-No-No-Keshagesh

[defendandprotect]

11. Where the hell are the Dems? Anyone remember the noise the Repugs made when 1 or 2 of their

nominees were held up by Dems even for a short period?????

[MUAD_DIB]

12. Two things for Obama to do here. 1) Award those contacts, if possible, to

other states.

2) Make it clear that through his threats Senator Shelby lost those contracts to others.

[MadMaddie]

13. But..but I thought they were fiscally conservative?

Oh that's right only when it comes to the nation trying to dig it's way out of this financial mess. What a rat bastard.

[FarCenter]

14. Why do we want an Airbus tanker built in Alabama?

We're in competition with EADS and the Airbus they rode in on.

EADS = European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company

[Jennicut]

15. So much for Rethugs being deficit cutters. They want the pork when it is for their state.

And Shelby has been an asshole since I first saw him on tv in 1993.

[Obamanaut]

17. Stop all earmarks, both parties. Weren't earmarks mentioned during

the campaign in 2008?

[dmr]

18. Kick