Idaho Senators Stand Up To Batfe
- Thread starter LAR-15
- Start date
- Status
Autolycus
Member
Way to go.
PercyShelley
Member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,075
It's good to see Republicans standing up to Bush.
Please excuse my ignorance, but how does this work legally? Can two senators actually veto such a nomination outright?
Please excuse my ignorance, but how does this work legally? Can two senators actually veto such a nomination outright?
cherryriver
Member
They can put a "hold" on it, which can be indefinite, as I recall.
Just another perk of being in the world's most self-absorbed club.
Just another perk of being in the world's most self-absorbed club.
Not only that, but the traditions of the Senate are that if one (or especially both) of a nominee's home-state Senators oppose his nomination, the nomination will not go forward.
This tradition has been broken in the past, and it's not in the Senate's formal rules that I know of, but breaking even the unwritten rules of a club as small and powerful as the Senate can make life very, very difficult for the rulebreaker.
A lot of the unwritten rules of both Houses operate on a glorified "payback's a b!tch" principle. Weird, I know, but it's been that way for over two centuries, and it isn't going to change.
The nominee is toast. Bush should pull him ASAP. Of course, I doubt the man has the wit to see that. So far as I've seen, he's never been able to see past the idea that he wants what he wants, and he should get it just because he wants it.
My son's the same way. Of course, you'd expect that. He's two.
--Shannon
This tradition has been broken in the past, and it's not in the Senate's formal rules that I know of, but breaking even the unwritten rules of a club as small and powerful as the Senate can make life very, very difficult for the rulebreaker.
A lot of the unwritten rules of both Houses operate on a glorified "payback's a b!tch" principle. Weird, I know, but it's been that way for over two centuries, and it isn't going to change.
The nominee is toast. Bush should pull him ASAP. Of course, I doubt the man has the wit to see that. So far as I've seen, he's never been able to see past the idea that he wants what he wants, and he should get it just because he wants it.
My son's the same way. Of course, you'd expect that. He's two.
--Shannon
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
The nominee's home state is Massachusetts, not Idaho - and he already has a glowing recommendation from Teddy Kennedy (which should be an adequate clue as to what kind of ATF Director he is likely to be).
A hold can upend the nomination process for quite awhile. As an example, the recent decision by the Army to hold dust tests with the FN SCAR, HK416, XM8 and M4 was due to Sen. Tom Coburn putting a hold on the new Secretary of the Army over concerns about the M4. Once the Army agreed to these tests, he lifted the hold.
However, the President can always wait until recess and make a recess appointment for one year if the Senate does not confirm his appointee.
A hold can upend the nomination process for quite awhile. As an example, the recent decision by the Army to hold dust tests with the FN SCAR, HK416, XM8 and M4 was due to Sen. Tom Coburn putting a hold on the new Secretary of the Army over concerns about the M4. Once the Army agreed to these tests, he lifted the hold.
However, the President can always wait until recess and make a recess appointment for one year if the Senate does not confirm his appointee.
ilcylic
Member
Bully for the Senators from Idaho. 
A head of the BATFe from Massachusetts scares me a bit.
A head of the BATFe from Massachusetts scares me a bit.SoCalShooter
Member
Well thats a nice piece of news, why can we not get the others to see that many government entities as the BATFE are definetly overstepping their bounds on law abiding citizens.
Just so you know, Sullivan (the acting ATF director up for nomination) is a Republican who was appointed US attorney by Bush. I have yet to see anything about him that supports the fact that he is anti-gun. The only point against him are that he is from Mass. and Ted Kennedy say 'he'll miss him'.
Can anyone point me to any material that shows Sullivan is actually anti-gun? He's been acting director for a while and I haven't heard of any actions on his part that were anti-gun or anti-2nd Amendment. According to agents I know, he's very hands off and prefers to leave the day to day activities to professional agents.
Frankly, I don't put much faith in Craig, but it's a nice diversion from his pole smoking.
Can anyone point me to any material that shows Sullivan is actually anti-gun? He's been acting director for a while and I haven't heard of any actions on his part that were anti-gun or anti-2nd Amendment. According to agents I know, he's very hands off and prefers to leave the day to day activities to professional agents.
Frankly, I don't put much faith in Craig, but it's a nice diversion from his pole smoking.
Last edited:
wacki
Member
How has the ATF become too aggressive? Is Bush going anti? Odd for him to do that since he let the Assault ban expire.
This thread: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=323544 has more info for you.
thrasher64
Member
I think any one who would accept a job with the ATF is anti-gun
Diamondback6
Member
Unless it was a would-be infiltrator trying to subvert them from within, or to try to show them the right way to do things. An ATF'er is over on the Thompson board, and he's a pretty good guy, actually would like to see the end of Hughes Amendment as much as the rest of us.
Bubbles
Member
Not necessarily. If I were offered the nomination to take over BATFE I'd take it... though the agency would be run quite differently than it has been in the past.
Aside from the information given by JPFO in the other thread, there is something else troublesome with the nomination. The WP article notes that "The Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination last month." What it omitted is that the Senate Judiciary Committee approved that nomination in a closed hearing, which isn't the way things are supposed to be happen for high-level nominations. The transcript for that hearing has been FOIA'ed and the person who requested it was denied for "national security" reasons.
ServiceSoon
Member
What's so secretive?
Zundfolge
Member
Boy I hope there aren't any kittens in Idaho that need to be worried about being stomped.
Crunker1337
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2007
- Messages
- 1,168
No, ya think?!
Good job done by the Senators. Maybe other politicians should take note.
Gunnerpalace
Member
Guntech you are right we need details on what he is trying to do
Oh yeah I almost applied for a job there (gasp around the board) Now you may think of me as a turncoat but wait would you rather have an anti there or a pro gun person
That and I wanted to go in the gun archive.
Oh yeah I almost applied for a job there (gasp around the board) Now you may think of me as a turncoat but wait would you rather have an anti there or a pro gun person
That and I wanted to go in the gun archive.
ACORN
Member
We're quick to berate them when they do something wrong. Let's at least give them an "atta boy!" when they stand up for us.
- Status