Posted on 6/25/2002, 4:24:23 PM by Rensselaer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain vowed Monday to block confirmation of all Bush administration nominations until a replacement is installed for a lame duck Federal Election Commission member who helped approve controversial campaign fund-raising rules.
In a letter to Senate leaders, the Arizona Republican pledged to object to action on ``any nominee'' unless Ellen Weintraub is confirmed by early August or President Bush agrees to bypass the Senate and make the appointment on his own.
Weintraub is in line to replace Karl Sandstrom as one of three Democratic members on the six-person FEC. While the administration is expected to nominate her, officials said her appointment is in the early stages of what can be a lengthy FBI background check.
Responding the McCain's letter, White House spokeswoman Anne Womack said, ``There are a number of very important nominations that have been waiting a long time for confirmation. We will continue to work with both sides of the aisle to ensure they get a fair up or down vote on the Senate floor as quickly as possible.''
Sandstrom sided with three Republicans last week on a series of 4-2 votes on regulations to implement the campaign finance bill that Bush signed earlier this year.
McCain and other supporters of the legislation have sharply criticized the regulations, claiming they open up loopholes in legislation designed to virtually eliminate unlimited donations that unions, corporations and wealthy individuals make to the political parties.
Sandstrom has said his goal was to make sure state and local candidates would not be swept into excessive FEC scrutiny that would curtail their ability to conduct voter registration drives and other party activities.
But in identical letters to Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. and the GOP leader, Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, McCain wrote, ``In light of recent actions by the FEC to undermine the bipartisan campaign finance reform act, it is critical that Ellen Weintraub, who has been recommended for a seat on the commission, be appointed as soon as possible.''
McCain thus injected himself forcefully not only into the rule-making for the legislation he spearheaded in Congress, but also into Bush's efforts to win approval for judicial appointments long stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Lott and Daschle have negotiated in private over a list of nominees to be approved in the next few days.
In his letter, McCain also suggested that Bush take an action most senators customarily oppose — making so-called ``recess appointments'' that do not require Senate confirmation.
But, McCain noted, ``A nominee for a Republican seat on the commission, Michael Toner, was recess-appointed by the president in March. I believe it is only fair that Ms. Weintraub be appointed in the same manner.''
Daschle recommended Weintraub for appointment to the FEC in May. She specializes in election law, and is with a Washington law firm where her clients have included the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and its House counterpart.
This is truly astounding. Finally, Lott has negotiated a deal to get votes on over a dozen GOP judicial nominees, with a second deal for over a dozen more in the works, and McCain announces that he will block that unless a *Democrat* is immediately appointed. More amazing, even Daschle - whose nominee this really is - isn't demanding this action, nor is any other Democrat. In fact, the nominee, Ellen Weintraub, hasn't even completed her FBI background check yet. This is truly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in Washington. It deserves more than a few rants about McCain or silly complaints that Daschle wouldn't let the Republican nominees come to a vote anyway. McCain is costing his party and the President a pair of deals that would have confirmed as many as 30 federal judges.
I thought he was a POW in Nam, not necessarily a hero.
Carolyn
John McCain was a POW during the Vietnam War his being a hero is open to some questions because of allegations he gave information useful to the enemy. I do not accuse him of misconduct merely point out that heroics are not always clearly defined and alleging a person to be a hero is not always factual.
James Stockdale was the true hero among the POW's.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
Perhaps I was taken in by his P.R. He was, after all, one of the Keating 5.
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