The White House’s recess appointments in early April seemed to strike an immediate chord among Senate Dems. They’ve become accustomed to a certain amount of offensive behavior from the president, but these appointments, especially Swiftboat Financier Sam Fox’s, were just so brazen. Dems went from frustrated to insulted overnight.
Dems sent out word that they saw this as a slap in the face. One senior Democratic Senate aide told Roll Call, “The administration hasn’t heard the last of this…. They managed to make a whole bunch of members mad and it doesn’t bode well for future attempts to move nominations through the Senate.”
But what, exactly, is the Senate Majority going to do about it? Apparently, Harry Reid’s office has an idea. (via Memeorandum)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has a little trick up his sleeve that could spell an end to President Bush’s devilish recess appointments of controversial figures like former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton. We hear that over the long August vacation, when those types of summer hires are made, Reid will call the Senate into session just long enough to force the prez to send his nominees who need confirmation to the chamber. The talk is he will hold a quickie “pro forma” session every 10 days, tapping a local senator to run the hall.
Senate workers and Republicans are miffed, but Reid is proving that he’s the new sheriff in town.
Good for him.
