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Senate Rules panel moves controversial FEC pick
By Susan Crabtree
September 26, 2007
The Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday voted to report out all four Federal Election Commission nominations without recommendation, an unprecedented maneuver aimed at accommodating Chairman Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) objections to Hans von Spakovsky’s nomination.




Von Spakovsky’s nomination became controversial earlier this year during the Democrats’ investigation of the firing of U.S. attorneys and whether the Justice Department had been improperly politicized during President Bush’s tenure. Former top officials of the civil rights division, where von Spakovsky held the position of counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights, have sent letters to members of the Rules Committee accusing him of politicizing the voting rights section and arguing against his confirmation.

Von Spakovsky was installed on the FEC as a recess appointment in early January 2006, but the Senate has not confirmed him. Feinstein has repeatedly voiced serious concerns about his nomination, warning that she would oppose it.

During the Rule Committee’s executive meeting Wednesday, Feinstein originally said she wanted to vote on each nominee separately, as opposed to considering all four nominees together in one vote, as the committee has done in the past. Republicans on the panel objected, arguing that the move breaks all known committee precedent on moving FEC nominations.

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http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senate-rules-panel-moves-controversial-fec-pick-2007-09-26.html