Posted on 01/06/2005 4:42:56 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AP) - When House Democrats needed just one senator to sign a challenge to Ohio's electoral votes, they knew who to ask - California's Barbara Boxer, among the fieriest liberals in a state full of them.
More than a decade after she led fellow congresswomen up the steps of the Senate to demand hearings into Anita Hill's sexual harassment claims against Clarence Thomas, Boxer staged her latest - and perhaps most dramatic - rebellion Thursday.
By joining Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, in lodging a formal protest against how Ohio's electoral votes were tallied, Boxer provided the needed Senate signature that forced the House and Senate to meet separately to debate the complaint.
What was to have been a stately ceremony quickly turned into a sometimes contentious discussion of voting that infuriated Republicans and caused even some Democrats to squirm.
"It's not often that I find myself rising in disagreement with (Boxer), but I must today emphatically disagree," said Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.
"I believe that those involved in this, citizens from around the country with all their good intentions, are seriously misguided and leading us all into a very unfortunate precedent," he said.
Boxer said she decided to sign the complaint after concluding there were real voting problems in Ohio that needed to be discussed.
"This was a hard decision, but I feel really good about this decision," she said. "We cannot keep turning our eyes away from a flawed system particularly as we have people dying in Iraq every day to bring democracy to those people."
During more than a decade in the House and 12 years in the Senate, Boxer has taken on the Pentagon over a $7,600 coffee pot, led opposition to the ban on what opponents call partial-birth abortion and opposed virtually all of Bush's major proposals.
She regularly splits votes with Democrat Dianne Feinstein, California's senior, and more popular, senator.
But the 64-year-old from Marin County just won re-election resoundingly to a third Senate term. Boxer faces little risk from California voters and voiced scant concern about the opposition she encountered from colleagues.
A Senate Democratic aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said new Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada initially opposed challenging the Ohio vote and questioned Boxer about it when she told him she would join the protest.
"If you make waves, it's uncomfortable ... and I understand that," Boxer said. "So, yes, I think there are people who wish that we didn't do this. But we're doing it for the right reasons."
Tubbs Jones, a four-term Democrat from Cleveland, also defended the decision.
"What are they afraid of? Why can't we have a debate, why can't we bring these issues to the table?" said the congresswoman, who in 2003 was the only Ohioan in Congress to vote against a resolution supporting U.S. troops in Iraq. She contended it connected Iraq to the Sept. 11 attacks.
The electoral complaint failed 267-31 in the House. In the Senate Boxer was the only yes vote to support it.
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Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Malia Rulon contributed to this report.
I would like to apologize to the nation for Boxer as a Californian. NOT IN MY NAME!!!
The use of the plural pronoun is undoubtedly an error.
She's Michael Moore's sock puppet.
Barbara Boxer is such an airhead, unable to hold her own in the mildest of debates. I really feel sorry for Calipooia if she is a true representative of the occupants of that state. They are going to be mugged by a terrible reality soon.
I watched a string of Dim Senators go to the floor to say what a wonderful thing she was doing - and then voting "no," leaving her out on the limb by herself.
I've seriously considered starting an Apology Thread, so that we Californians could get off our consciences the collective guilt that we have contributed the STUPIDEST Senatrix in Washington.
And that we evidently can't field a half-decent candidate with any fire in his/her belly.
I'm sorry!!!
Dan
Why isn't the text below in the linked story? Was it added - removed from original or what?
[Tubbs Jones, a four-term Democrat from Cleveland, also defended the decision.
"What are they afraid of? Why can't we have a debate, why can't we bring these issues to the table?" said the congresswoman, who in 2003 was the only Ohioan in Congress to vote against a resolution supporting U.S. troops in Iraq. She contended it connected Iraq to the Sept. 11 attacks.
The electoral complaint failed 267-31 in the House. In the Senate Boxer was the only yes vote to support it. ]
Interesting, looks like an edit after I posted. Thanks.
Trust me. I try and not screw up original content. And if I do, I will try and update thread accordingly. I'm funny that way. :)
It's till up on Yahoo's offering.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050106/ap_on_go_co/boxer_s_rebellion_1
What gets fun is when one story has been updated on some sites and not on others. ;-)
Another abuse of the system by the DemocRats. This was using a clause in the voting procedure that EVERYONE in both houses knew did not stand a chance of changing anything to grandstand and sling more mud.
Another sad day in an election year. I suppose this is going to become the norm whenever a president is elected now. Court challenges, stupid & meaningless grandstanding throughout the process all to embarass the other side.
I don't know how Boxer continues to be elected. All CA freepers should send her an e-mail to complain of the waste of taxpayers time and money she caused just to grandstand.
I hear ya. :)
And to think she just got re-elected.
Did feinstein call in sick today, btw?
Heck, only 75 senators went on record in the vote. we know where $Kerry is.. what's up with the rest?
FRist was off to the tsunami area I believe to render assistance as he can. He is a surgeon, and Im sure they can use all the medical help they can get..
I take it you didn't vote for her! <>g<>
Anyway, I heard on FoxNews today that she may
choose NOT to run again for the office. Like
other Senators Dems who have a long track record,
she'll retired with a guaranteed annual income of
$250K.
Thanks. Must have been seen as slightly too unkind to Boxer - we can't have that now, can we?
She is the Lone deRanged, in this case.
Tubbs couldn't kiss her butt enough in a later interview for opening the door for a debate.
I don't think the dems in general wanted it, but you know the dems.
At their core, they are driven to fail as they come unhinged, bereft of vision or values... and then, call it success. :-)
Boxer and Tubbs--Tweedle Dee..
She is easily the stupidest woman in a major political position.
"Making waves" . . . nice way of saying making a fool of herself.
I think Washington State should apologize first: after all, at least we have Arnold as governor. They have not only Osama Mama Murray and Maria Cantwell, now they have the odious Christine Gregoire who STOLE the gubernatorial election.
Maybe Babs is testy because her grandchild is fathered by one of Hillary's brothers.
Even though Boxer's daughter, Nicole is now divorced from Tony Rodham, they will forever be connected.
Imagine the White Trash fun at Boxer family reunions, birthday parties, graduations...
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
LAKE WINOLA, Pa. -- Tony Rodham, the brother of New York's Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, was assaulted by a man who accused him of having sex with his girlfriend in the longtime Rodham summer home in Lake Winola, Pa., near Scanton.
Daniel Martin Coyne, 45, was charged with assault, burglary and trespassing, according to Pennsylvania State Police. He was released Monday on $25,000 bail from the Wyoming County Correctional Facility.
"Coyne said he came to the cottage at about 3 a.m. and saw his girlfriend Kelly Ann Quick, 36, and Tony Rodham having sex," a Pennsylvania State Police spokesman said.
"He assaulted Rodham and the noise alerted his brother, Hugh Rodham, who ordered him from the cottage."
Tony Rodham, 47, suffered facial lacerations. He was divorced last year from Nicole Boxer, the daughter of California Sen. Barbara Boxer.
Police said that Coyne made a second trip to the cottage to retrieve his keys and he allegedly assaulted Tony Rodham a second time.
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