Judd Gregg Voted to Kill Commerce Dept. Before He Agreed to Lead It

[bigtree]

President Obama’s candidate to run the Commerce Department voted in favor of abolishing the agency as a member of the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor in 1995.

Sen. Judd Gregg , R-N.H., whose nomination was expected to be announced Tuesday, also worked in the Senate to trim the department’s budget as head of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee.


Ultimately, the Commerce Department survived, and Gregg has since shown more interest than most of his Republican colleagues in funding some of its agencies, particularly the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Gregg also fought President Bill Clinton’s efforts to increase funding for the Commerce Department to administer the 2000 census. Indeed, Gregg’s commitment to basic functions of the department has been questioned at times.

“He was generally pretty harsh on them and not really interested in their programs, especially the commerce side of things,” said a Democratic appropriations aide.


http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003022841

[MadBadger]

1. Sounds like another John Bolton.

[Ardent15]

6. Agreed

Sucks.

[bigtree]

7. that worked out well

. . . didn't it? :eyes:

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. Wouldn't it be ironic if....

Gregg took the job, and then Obama eliminated COmmerce and created a new department to take its place?

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. Or he fired his new Commerce Secretary?

Usually Obama is three steps ahead of the game
but this pick baffles me.

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. I don't usualy x-post myself, but here's my theory

<<In theory, you appear bi-partisan while, in practice, making it much easier to get work done in the Senate. In practice, if he wanted 60 votes so badly, he should have dragged his (admittedly exhausted) butt down to Hotlanta and campaigned like Hell, in person for Jim Martin. >>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4966993&mesg_id=4966993


The problem is that, even by doing this, he's still not guaranteed 60. Franken may lose in court and Lieberman may bolt.

[Redneck Socialist]

5. Doubt he'll get his 60 even with Gregg

Word in NH is Gregg won't take it unless Lynch (the Gov) agrees to appoint an Republican.