Bill Cassidy promised slot on Energy Committee if he wins runoff election [against Mary Landrieu]

[KeepItReal]

Source: NOLA.com | Times-Picayune

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is promising to appoint Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, to a seat on the Senate Energy Committee if he wins the Dec. 6 runoff against three-term incumbent and current committee chairwoman Mary Landrieu, D-La.

...

"I'm confident Dr. Cassidy will use this position to succeed where Sen. Landrieu failed," McConnell said in a statement that mentions Cassidy's support for the Keystone XL Pipeline and opposition to the Obama administrations new touting Cassidy's support for the Keystone XL pipeline and opposition to Obama administration new limits on carbon emissions from power plants.

Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Senate Democrats, who retain control over the Senate through early January, might schedule a vote on approving the Keystone XL Pipeline during the current lame-duck session, which begins Wednesday afternoon.

Landrieu also supports the pipeline, and has opposed the new emission standards, but Cassidy says she's been unable to move legislation to deal with the two issues during her tenure as Energy Committee chairwoman, which began in February.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/bill_cassidy_promised_slot_on.html#incart_m-rpt-2

[Thor_MN]

1. Trying to interfere in an election...

If that's not illegal, it should be.

[24601]

2. How is that different from Sen Reid suddenly allowing a Keystone vote that he has blocked before?

[Thor_MN]

3. Not sure how your example would be the equivalent of the Turtle telling

the citizens of Louisiana that if they elect Cassidy, he will get a slot on the Energy Committee. That implies that if they elect Landrieu, she will not get the slot on the Energy Committee. He is directly offering a bribe to the citizens of Louisiana.

[S_B_Jackson]

4. All this says to Louisiana voters is that

regardless of the outcome, their Senator, will have a seat on the Energy Committee. All it does is minimize to a degree Landrieu's ability to use her position as the ranking minority member on the committee as a selling point for her re-election bid.

[Nye Bevan]

10. What utter nonsense.

McConnell has the First Amendment right to say whatever he likes about what would happen if Cassidy is elected.

Just like Charles Schumer promised to use his influence to get Domenic Recchia (Democratic candidate for Congress in a NYC district) onto key House committees if he was elected (he wasn't):

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/sen_schumer_endorses_domenic_r.html

[Ken Burch]

5. Isn't promising a committee position during an election campaign illlegal? n/t.

[onenote]

8. No.

[Nye Bevan]

11. Telling the voters what would happen if someone is, or is not, elected?

I never heard of such a thing!

[Octafish]

6. Drill Baby! Drill!

Ukraine's for Frackers.

[davidpdx]

7. Given that the DNC has pulled out and the Republicans can throw money at this race hand over fist

I'd say Landrieu is toast. Some of it is her own fault given the speed that she's been running away from President Obama.

Begich lost and when Landrieu gets thumped in the runoff then it will be 54-46 in the Senate.

[alp227]

9. I won't miss Landrieu if she loses. The Democratic Party in Louisiana is a joke anyways.

Who was the last progressive legislator from that state? Huey Long?