Posted on 04/04/2007 1:48:38 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Bush bypasses Senate to name ambassador
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer 7 minutes ago
President Bush named Republican fundraiser Sam Fox as U.S. ambassador to Belgium on Wednesday, using a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress where Democrats had derailed Fox's nomination.
Democrats had denounced Fox for his 2004 donation to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The group's TV ads, which claimed that Sen. John Kerry exaggerated his military record in Vietnam, were viewed as a major factor in the Massachusetts Democrat losing the election.
Recognizing Fox did not have the votes to obtain Senate confirmation, Bush withdrew the nomination last month. On Wednesday, with Congress out of town for a spring break, the president used his power to make recess appointments to put Fox in the job without Senate confirmation.
This means Fox can remain ambassador until the end of the next session of Congress, effectively through the end of the Bush presidency.
Bush also used his recess appointment authority to make Andrew Biggs deputy director of Social Security. The president's earlier nomination of Biggs, an outspoken advocate of partially privatizing the government's retirement program, was rejected by Senate Democrats in February.
Fox, a 77-year-old St. Louis businessman, gave $50,000 to the Swift Boat group. He is national chairman of the Jewish Republican Coalition and was dubbed a "ranger" by Bush's 2004 campaign for raising at least $200,000. He is founder and chairman of the Clayton, Mo.-based Harbour Group, which specializes in the takeover of manufacturing companies
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
quid pro quo?
Funny how much fun it is to put hats on John Kerry.
His pomposity makes him uniquely susceptible to Hat Humiliation.
I hope to see more of this before he leaves office.
I predict we are going to see some more “ballsy” moves in the next few months in pushing back against opposition domestic forces.
On Rush, yesterday he was saying the reason the President was in the 30’s in the polls was because he did’t confront his opponents! I hope the President keeps ‘’confronting’’ them! I like it!
s’called FAITH, digger.
ain’t that right, ohio!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1810402/posts?page=20#20
He'd do better to leave it vacant and hope for a Pubbie Win in 2008.
No, it really isn’t.
Most of the DUmmies don’t believe Clinton did this, believe that Bush should have less executive power than Clinton, or don’t believe in Article II of the Constitution.
Either way, they’re laughably pathetic.
Good job Mr. President.
No, I don't think he would. In the same position, Reagan put up a compromise nominee in Nov. 87 rather than take the chance.
That is EXACTLY what I thought when I heard this on the radio this afternoon. Bwhahahaha. This is even better than had he tried to go through the official process. Loved it. And the dems are squealing like little pigs.
Essentially Bush has been limited like no other president. Even though he had a GOP majority most of the time he was in office, he had to make recess appointments and leave vacancies. If the next president is a “full president” again, they will have a tremendous degree of influence, because of what Bush was unable to do.
Well PLACED faith, I might add.....
Hey! I got to see it three times. ;-)
Sorry, just couldn't resist.
Wanted to be sure you didn’t miss this!
He can...it's been done before...wasn't it Marshall that was appointed during a recess?
Maybe his “play nice in Washington” advisors stepped out of the Oval Office for a few minutes...
Well, yes, in all fairness, at least one b*ll has been grown it seems!
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