Black Lawmakers in Line for Key Posts

[FernBell]

Three days after workers broke ground for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the Mall, the Congressional Black Caucus is preparing to break new ground of its own.

Five of its members are poised to take the helm of key House committees when Democrats assume control of Congress next year: John Conyers Jr. (Mich.) of Judiciary, Alcee L. Hastings (Fla.) of intelligence, Juanita Millender-McDonald (Calif.) of House Administration, Reps. Charles B. Rangel (N.Y.) of Ways and Means, and Bennie Thompson (Miss.) of Homeland Security.

Another member, Rep. James E. Clyburn (S.C.), is slated to be named majority whip, which would make him the third-ranking Democrat in the House. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the presumed speaker of the 110th Congress, has campaigned on his behalf.

"If they accede to that much power, it would truly be the realization of the kind of dream we've been waiting for since the civil rights movement," said Ronald Walters, a University of Maryland political science professor and a former political strategist who is black.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/15/AR2006111501431.html

[Ignacio Upton]

1. Hastings better not be given the Chairmanship

Being an IMPEACHED former federal judge should disqualify him from that, no matter what the CBC thinks (they defended William Jefferson!)

[MADem]

2. He may have been impeached, but he was later ACQUITTED of all charges. NT

[Leilani]

7. He was impeached & removed by the Senate

which was later upheld by a court.

He has debts of 2 million to 7 million dollars, & you want to make him Chair of Intelligence?

Bad move.

If you want to bash Republicans for corruption, you need to be squeaky clean.

[AIJ Alom]

3. I agree with you. The impeachment will be used and held

against him and anything his committee produces.

[Carla in Ca]

5. Not if his committee produces

n/t

[SharonAnn]

4. Now if we only had that many women in those positions. You know, the 55% of the population.

[upi402]

6. I like the Congressional Black Caucus for their politics, not color

Waters, Jackson-Lee, Conyers

A triumvirate who could handle power and not spin out.