It looks likely that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) will have to face the music this Tuesday. That's when there will be a secret vote amongst Republican senators, led by Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), to decide if Stevens should be kicked out of the Republican caucus, effectively making him a man without a party while stripping him of all committee assignments and party votes.
Such a vote would also signal party willingness to eject Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in history and patriarch of Alaska politics who was convicted last month on seven felony charges for making false statements, from the Senate altogether.
Stevens' only salvation from this humiliation would be to lose the race to his Democratic opponent, which would make those votes moot and thus less likely to happen. Stevens is currently losing by 1,022 votes but more remain to be counted.
The conference meeting is currently scheduled for Tuesday, the day after Congress returns from its elections recess. While the vote is on the agenda for 9:30 a.m., it's not clear whether it will take place. Many Republican senators say they would rather wait for the final election results so they don't have to cast an uncomfortable vote on whether Stevens should stay in their conference.
DeMint's office has characterized a vote on Stevens as a way of cleaning Republican house of any scandalous taint before the 111th Congress begins in January. They expect it to pass, said DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton.
We should know by the end of Tuesday. It looks increasingly likely that Stevens is done, one way or the other. If so, Begich would bring the number of Democratic senators to 58, very close to the magic number of 60 required to overturn Republican filibusters.
PAGE:
1 | 2
Comments
DannyDMc
Fargo, ND
July 2003
NOV 16, 2008 01:24 PM
Coyotemike
USA
May 2006
NOV 16, 2008 01:33 PM
Stiles
Oakland, CA
November 2002
NOV 16, 2008 01:47 PM
Toku666
Columbus, OH
May 2004
NOV 16, 2008 01:49 PM
Coyotemike
USA
May 2006
NOV 16, 2008 01:52 PM
Subrosa
San Francisco, CA
July 2004
NOV 16, 2008 02:25 PM
FreakPirate
Canada
November 2002
NOV 16, 2008 02:29 PM
Toku666
Columbus, OH
May 2004
NOV 16, 2008 02:43 PM
Stiles
Oakland, CA
November 2002
NOV 16, 2008 03:01 PM
motorfirebox
Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004
NOV 16, 2008 05:01 PM
Kohai
I'm lost
October 2006
NOV 16, 2008 05:16 PM
Accuser
Scottsdale, AZ
October 2006
NOV 16, 2008 09:01 PM
headtraumajr
Mukilteo, WA
February 2004
NOV 17, 2008 12:10 AM
ASSH0LE
Las Vegas, NV
June 2003
NOV 17, 2008 06:58 AM
SockPuppet
I'm lost
July 2006
NOV 17, 2008 03:14 PM
PAGE:
1 | 2