If the Senate Democrats are going to play politics with appointments because they object to the exercise of First Amendment rights by appointees, it is fully appropriate for the White House to use the Constitution to bypass them.

President Bush, defying Senate Democrats, gave recess appointments yesterday to three controversial nominees, including, as ambassador to Belgium, Republican donor Sam Fox, who had contributed to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the group whose ads helped doom Sen. John F. Kerry's 2004 presidential bid.

Kerry (D-Mass.), who grilled Fox about his $50,000 contribution to the group during testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in February, had complained that Fox never disavowed his actions and that he should not be confirmed. "It's sad but not surprising that this White House would abuse the power of the presidency to reward a donor over the objections of the Senate," Kerry said in a statement yesterday.

No, Senator, it is sad that you and your colleagues would place your pathetic little ego and the demonstrable falsehoods in your Vietnam record above the First Amendment.

Posted by: Greg at 10:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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