Senator Reid on the Bush administration: "They're going to have to replace [von Spakovsky] or there will be no FEC"

crew — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:57:18 -0500

On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid held a question and answer session with progressive journalists. Reid was asked about the FEC nominations and provided a very blunt answer:

Question: [W]hat do you foresee in general with presidential nominations going forward this session and particularly with the FEC?

REID: I've had private discussions with Bolten, Josh Bolten. I've had many things public in nature, in fact most publicly, we've exchanged a number of letters back and forth. Here's where we are now. We have three Democrats that we are happy to have on the Federal Election Commission. They have three Republicans they're happy to have on the Federal Election Commission. We will not let one of them be approved. His name is Von Splotsky or something like that. (Laughter) So they're going to have to make a decision, they're going to have to replace him or there will be no FEC. And they need it worse than we do. I will also say this, Mason had an uncharacteristic trait, he was fair. And I have tried to be fair in the people I choose to go on the FEC, for example Steve Walther, he's not even a Democrat, he's an independent. He's one of the Democrats on the Federal Election Commission. I think the Federal Election Commission is important, I wish it had more power, more teeth than what it has legislatively. But it still is a lot better than nothing. And the Republicans have always hated the FEC, but now when McCain needs something, they're rushing around trying to get something done. We'll do it our way or it won't get done.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - Hans von Spakovsky

Senator Reid on the Bush administration: "They're going to have to replace [von Spakovsky] or there will be no FEC"