Swift Boat donor's appointment sidesteps Congress

[SETIsLady]

The decider, side steps again

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush named Republican fundraiser Sam Fox as U.S. ambassador to Belgium on Wednesday, using a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress where Democrats had derailed Fox's nomination.

Democrats had denounced Fox for his 2004 donation to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The group's TV ads, which claimed that Sen. John Kerry exaggerated his military record in Vietnam, were viewed as a major factor in the Massachusetts Democrat's losing the election.

Recognizing Fox did not have the votes to obtain Senate confirmation, Bush withdrew the nomination last month. On Wednesday, with Congress out of town for a spring break, the president used his power to make recess appointments to put Fox in the job without Senate confirmation.

This means Fox can remain ambassador until the end of the next session of Congress, effectively through the end of the Bush presidency.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/ ... index.html

[tiffany]

they need to change that action..................

[Linnea]

That sonofabitch!

What kind of a hold does this clown have over just about everyone - that his ridiculous and imperious behavior cannot be controlled?

Our country has descended into a morass of idiocy. There is no longer even any pretense at legitimacy or accountability.

I lay a great portion of the blame for this on the M-E-D-I-A , and the sheeple mentality of the dismal masses who allow the travesty of this administration - day by day.

Yah. I'm still waiting for some leadership and inspiration. I'll admit that. There must be something out there...

And please, don't respond with comments about Clinton or Obama - or Giuliani or McCain.

[Shirleypal]

I know Linnea, it seems like he has the whole country hypnotized.
Much has come out in the Media recently and no one is paying attention, ugh.

[tiffany]

The whole nation.......those who are the majority don't even know or even have a guess that he has done this.......he just keeps truckin........when is the truck gonna have a blow out.

[Joolz]

I lay a great portion of the blame for this on the M-E-D-I-A...

With ya there 100%, Linn.

[mudwoman]

Because this appointment is Constitutional under Article II, Section 2, Clause 3 -- The President shall have power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session. -- the only way to keep the creeps hands off the further wrecking of our Republic is to cut off his hands!

IMPEACH!

[SETIsLady]

Hi Sandy

Seems like these are the only times that Bush embraces the Constitution

[SETIsLady]

Looks like he pushed others through today as well .

Bush Uses Recess to Fill Envoy Post and 2 Others

[mudwoman]

Hi Sandy

Seems like these are the only times that Bush embraces the Constitution

Hi, Sis.

Yes, only when convenient. Or as Bush himself said, "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"

[tiffany]

Hi Sandy

Seems like these are the only times that Bush embraces the Constitution

Well ain't that the gd truth...........

[Joolz]

Dems call for review of Bush appointment

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
47 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democrats called for an investigation Thursday into whether President Bush acted illegally in appointing Sam Fox ambassador to Belgium.

A day earlier, Bush named Republican fundraiser Fox to the post as a recess appointment — a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress, where Democrats had derailed his nomination.

"We view the recess appointment of Mr. Fox as a clear abuse of the President's recess appointment power," three Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office, Congress' auditing agency.

The senators — Democrats Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Robert Casey of Pennsylvania — also asked if Fox's appointment could be terminated if a Senate vote rejected him.

Democrats have denounced Fox for his donation to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth during the 2004 presidential campaign. The group's TV ads, which claimed that Sen. John Kerry exaggerated his military record in Vietnam, were viewed as a factor in the Massachusetts Democrat's election loss.

Recognizing Fox did not have enough support for Senate confirmation, Bush withdrew the nomination last week. On Wednesday, with the Senate on a one-week break, the president used his power to make recess appointments to put Fox in the job without Congress' blessing.

Dodd said in a statement that Bush's actions were "deceptive at best and illegal at worst."

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe defended the use of recess appointments as a presidential prerogative.

"I think the president views recess appointments as an appropriate way to get people who are qualified into jobs that need to be filled," Johndroe said Thursday.

"And it's a process that's been used many times over the years for people whose nominations have lingered or have been stopped for various reasons," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Ben Feller contributed to this report.

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