Specter Loses Senority

The Senate, last night, voted to strip Arlen Specter of his senority in the Senate:

In announcing his move across the aisle last week, Specter asserted that Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) had assured him he would retain his seniority in the Senate and on the five committees on which he serves. Specter’s tenure ranked him ahead of all but seven Democrats.

I guess Harry Reid’s word is about as good as Obama’s.

Instead, though, on a voice vote last night, the Senate approved a resolution that made Specter the most junior Democrat on four committees for the remainder of this Congress. (He will rank second from last on the fifth, the Special Committee on Aging.)

Ouch, that’s gotta hurt.  Apparently Specter had designs on heading the Appropriations Committee, and this reduction in seniority is going to make it very difficult to pork up the budget.  I hear a very tiny violin playing softly in the background.

9 thoughts on “Specter Loses Senority”

  1. “I guess Harry Reid’s word is about as good as Obama’s.”

    Or as good as Arlen Specter’s.

  2. It probably won’t affect endorsements. He’s still an incumbent. Hell, NRA might be the only friends he has left by the time this is all over.

  3. Actually, the seniority strip is only for the remainder of this congress; if he wins the 2010 primary and general, then full seniority is restored and recognized – IF he’s a good democrat till then…
    The old carrot/stick thing.

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