Posted on 05/05/2010 10:45:40 AM PDT by jazusamo
Rep. David Obey’s retirement announcement wasn’t even official before the competition began for his Appropriations chairmanship.
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) will make a run for the gavel, sources close to the lawmaker told POLITICO, putting him in a potential competition for that chairmanship with Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.).
“Fattah is very interested in setting spending priorities that would focus on education, health, [and] urban and rural communities, and sees the chairmanship as an opportunity to articulate those priorities in a way that defends the Democratic majority in the House,” said one source.
Obey (D-Wis.) announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to the House, opening up a possible race to succeed him.
Fattah, first elected to the House in 1994, ranks 21st in seniority among the committee’s 37 Democratic members. Dicks the chairman of the subcommittee on Defense, ranks second in seniority, making him a heavy favorite to win the gavel. Fattah would be the first African-American Appropriations chairman.
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a senior member of the committee, said Wednesday that Dicks was likely to go after the full committee chairmanship and try to keep the Defense subcommittee gavel. Obey obtained a waiver to serve as chairman of the committee and of its Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee.
The revelation of Fattah’s interest in the chairmanship portends a battle over the balance of the committee’s priorities between defense and domestic spending. He currently serves on the subcommittees on Commerce, Justice and Science, Energy and Water, and Financial Services and General Government.
After the November election, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, a panel dominated by party leaders, will be charged with recommending a candidate for the chairmanship to the full Democratic Caucus.
“Fattah is very interested in setting spending priorities that would focus on education, health, [and] urban and rural communities, and sees the chairmanship as an opportunity to articulate those priorities in a way that defends the Democratic majority in the House,” said one source.
This sends up red flags all over the place for me. He seems to have exactly the same priorities as Obama. Perhaps it was not the repubs. who forced him out, I’m betting on the Dems.
Uh, Fattah, first the Dems have to retain their majority in November. But you’ll make a fine ranking member.
Bump!
Fattah has an excellent chance to become chairman because he’s black!
Only in the land of OZ-er0, is skin color more important than intelligence.
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said Obey is "probably one of the most consequential members ever to chair Appropriations." He added, "People of Dave's character and personality are irreplaceable."
Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) is the favorite to replace Obey as Appropriations chairman.
Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said Obey's retirement shows that the Democratic majority is in danger.
"It's the end of an era, and it will also set in a certain amount of panic on the House floor," said Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). "He's one of the lead generals, and to have him fall shows that a change election is coming."
Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Wis.) said Obey may be "the first of many dominoes to fall."
"I don't think the chairman of the full committee walks away after 42 years if he's not feeling well, the election isn't going well and/or he's worried about the majority," LaTourette said. "It will be a big loss. He's a smart man."
I vote for the guy who thinks Guam might capsize.
LOL!
Could be a bad choice, he might try to appropriate billions to prop it up. :)
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