Arlen Specter Busted Down to Junior Democrat
Tuesday night, the Senate passed a resolution making recent party hopper Arlen Specter the most junior Democrat on four of the five committeees on which he serves and serves him right.
In a statement Wednesday, Senator Specter said he wasn’t surprised that the issue of subcommittee chairmanships would not be decided until the 2010 election.
“Senator Reid assured me that I would keep my committee assignments and that I would have the same seniority as if I had been elected as a Democrat in 1980,” he said. But he added, confirming grumblings from within the Democratic caucus: “Some members of the caucus have raised concerns about my seniority, so the caucus will vote on my seniority at the same time subcommittee chairmanships are confirmed after the 2010 election.”
He also said, “I am confident my seniority will be maintained under the arrangement I worked out with Senator Reid.”
Enjoy your new party Arlen.