We don’t normally re-run entire items from elsewhere here. This one, however, is important (and short) enough to merit it. From Paul Kiel over at TPMMuckraker…
It’s not immediately clear what will happen tomorrow. Howard Gantman, staff director for the committee, said that Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wants a vote on each nominee separately (as opposed to considering all four nominees, Democratic and Republican, in one vote) and that she continues to have serious concerns about Von Spakovsky. He also said that no deal had been struck.
Former employees of the voting section mounted serious opposition to von Spakovsky’s nomination, with a group writing in a letter to the committee that he’d been “the point person for undermining the Civil Rights Division’s mandate to protect voting rights.” Von Spakovsky, however, portrayed himself during his confirmation hearing as just a lawyer in the section who gave advice when it was asked. It was a portrayal with real problems — as von Spakovsky himself tacitly acknowledged when he modified his testimony in later written answers to the committee.
Von Spakovsky also sought to spike accusations that he’d retaliated against wrong-thinking employees (i.e. lawyers overly-preoccupied with African-Americans’ voting rights) by, among other things, adding negative comments to their performance evaluations. But two former lawyers told us that he’d done just that — and then went so far as to stifle their appeals of the changes.
President Bush put von Spakovsky on the commission as a recess appointment in December, 2005.
You can register your opinion on Hans von Spakovsky, who is as evil as his name evokes, with the Senate Rules Committee and Feinstein (D-CA) here: 202-224-6352, or via their website.
These neo-con fascist bushit loser appointments keep coming and coming out of the woodwork like a termites over-running an infested log cabin. Nothing on the authentic wood eating insect, it becomes more and more apparent each day that for the American people to really regain their country back, the entire city of Washington DC needs to be tented to rid the Federal government of all these greedy treasonous criminal parasites that have infiltrated the great creation of our Founding Fathers.
Some candidates appear to be victims of extortion. We know that they have been spied upon for many years, and the sudden disappearance of basic respect for our democracy have caused many to flop quietly, but noticeably toward doing neocon bidding.
Remember, we have only 25 real senators. the rest are now traitors for their vote against the very oath they swore to uphold. That is cause for recall and impeachment for crimes against this country.
Oldtree-
You’re right, and Diane Feinstein is definitely one of the traitors. I seriously doubt she will work to thwart or will even vote against von Spakovsky’s nomination. We’re stuck with her for at least another 5+ years and I think it would be virtually impossible to recall or impeach her. Most people are too ignorant or complacent to even notice (or care) what a disaster she has become.
The rethugs will get anything they want.
It could be because of domestic spying on Democrats and having them over a political barrel lit on fire, or it could be that democrats are just completely spineless and worthless, incapable of standing up for their constituency.
Either way the out come is the same this country is screwed until we the people replace every damn one of them.
Feinstein’s voting record has been so bizarre over the past six years, I have zero reason to think she’ll get this one right, either.
It would be interesting to read a summary of her voting record at this point in time. Hmmm …