When the Democrats in the U.S. Senate vote next week on whether to sanction Joe Lieberman for his disloyalty to the party’s presidential nominee by stripping him of his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, some may feel conflicting impulses.
Yes, Lieberman dissed Barack Obama during the campaign when he suggested the Illinois senator did not put his country first. But the Connecticut senator has also been a benefactor to many of the Democratic colleagues likely to decide his fate.
During the 2008 election cycle, Lieberman’s political action committee - Reuniting Our County PAC - distributed almost $100,000 to Democratic senatorial candidates, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Besides giving $30,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, he donated $15,000 to Mark Pryor of Arkansas; $10,000 each to Max Baucus of Montana and Tim Johnson of South Dakota; and $5,000 each to Carl Levin of Michigan, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Mark Udall of Colorado.
During the same period, he gave money to just a few Republicans - among them, longtime friend Susan Collins of Maine ($10,000), Peter King ($5,000) and John McCain ($5,000).
Ever since losing a Democratic primary challenge in 2006 and getting re-elected as a third-party candidate, Lieberman has been an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. (Many in the caucus thought his betrayal of Obama particularly egregious because the Illinois senator had campaigned for him during Lieberman’s tough 2006 primary battle.)
While Lieberman is hawkish on national security - he has been one of the most vocal supporters of President Bush’s prosecution of the war in Iraq - the longtime senator usually votes with Democrats on domestic issues.
In January, 2007, he described himself as “genuinely an Independent,” telling Fox News: “I agree more often than not with Democrats on domestic policy. I agree more often than not with Republicans on foreign and defense policy.”
Yet he has indicated that if stripped of his chairmanship, he would join the Republican caucus.
Right now, the skirmish seems headed towards a resolution favorable to Lieberman. President-elect Obama has reportedly said he holds no grudge against him, and Connecticut’s senior senator, Chris Dodd, is working on his behalf.
As a result, some believe the Democratic caucus may be inclined to levy a milder punishment than relieving him of his chairmanship - perhaps taking away his membership on another committee.
In which case, Joe Lieberman will hold onto his perks and survive to fight another battle.
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1 Comments
#1. Jo 11.17.2008
Joe Lieberman is a republican and does his best to elect republicans. He should not be given a democratic committee, considering the fact, he openly campaigned for McCain.
The reason he didn’t get re elected as a Democrat is because he isn’t a Democrat.
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