TPMmuckraker blogged 99 to 58. That was the final tally among House Democrats to remove Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) from his seat on the Ways and Means Committee. So a number of Democrats outside the 43 member Congressional Black Caucus voted no.
The objection was to the unprecedented nature of the move (stripping a member of a seat prior to an indictment), along with the fact that there didn't seem to be any objective standard for removal. As Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) put it, her standard was "Anybody with $90,000 in the freezer -- you have a problem with this Caucus." But apparently The Cash in The Freezer Standard wasn't enough for some members. According to Roll Call, Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) even offered a motion to put off the decision on Jefferson until the Caucus drew up rules for removing members from their committee assignments.... According to Jefferson's statement after the vote, those conditions were:1) the Caucus institute an across the board rule that any Member being investigated may be asked to step down from an exclusive Committee, regardless of whether charges are filed; and,
She certainly does not want that rule (which is like the ones the Republicans have). She wants to be able to pick and choose who the rules apply to.2) that Mr. Charlie Melancon, whose district borders mine in Louisiana, be my replacement on the Committee until my return
She wants to be able to choose your replacement, and you may not be coming back.
2 comments:
Rep Jefferson has a hist. of being a poor example of what a congressman should be. He needs to be put in jail and ousted from Congress
I agree, however I believe Cynthia McKinney should join him, but the grand jury did not indite her.
Post a Comment