Bwa ha ha ha friggin HA. "Clearly agitated Specter lashes out at Reid"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Pennsylvania senator accuses Democratic leader of slander in lobbying asbestos fight

RAW STORY
Published: February 7, 2006

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Pennsylvania_senator_accuses_Democratic_leader_of_0207.html

An uneventful day in the Senate quickly turned unruly Monday afternoon when Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) lashed out at Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), accusing Reid of violating Senate conduct rules and slander, following Reid’s assertion that corporate dollars had bought asbestos legislation access to the chamber floor, ROLL CALL reports Tuesday. Excerpts:

During a floor speech Monday afternoon, Reid vowed to defeat the asbestos legislation and, in an effort to tie it to the current lobbying and ethics scandals, argued that the Senate was considering the bill only because 13 “companies spent $144.5 million in two years lobbying to get it here.”

Privately, Republicans said the sudden outburst of partisanship — which occurred as many Senators were attending a funeral service for Coretta Scott King — shows Frist’s increasing willingness to quickly engage Reid, who used quick unexpected attacks on Frist and the GOP last year to stymie much of the Republican agenda.

A clearly agitated Specter came to the floor to confront Reid, accusing the Minority Leader of slandering himself and Leahy in violation of Senate Rule 19 which bars personal attacks against fellow Senators. “To say that this bill, which Sen. Leahy and I have led for the better part of the last three years, is the result of lobbyists, quote, ‘buying their way into the Senate’ is slanderous. It is a violation of Rule 19,” Specter shot back angrily.

[Kber]

1. What ever you do, DON"T violate rule 19, for gosh sake!

I mean, wipe your feet on the constitutional separation of powers, piss on the tradition of checks and balances, buy your senate seat with lobbiest's money and pay them back with custom taylored legislation. But don't, don't, don't, mess with rule 19.

:sarcasm:

[f-bush]

2. Good for Reid

About time somebody bitches about all the corporate whores polluting the house, senate and white house!

[Capn Sunshine]

3. To violate rule 19 the comment has to be FALSE

I'm pretty sure if Specter pushes this, we can conclusively show the receipts and reports documenting the industry money spent on this, and find the actual scribes of the bill were lobbyists.

It's like they are holding themselves hostage, but the Dems keep letting them do it.

Rule 19...what a crock.

[gratuitous]

4. So, prove you're NOT bought-and-paid-for, Arlen

Delay the legislation until full hearings can be held. How about it, hmmmmm?

[tsuki]

5. No, it's the truth. Period. End of Story.

Your fake indignation is rings as true as your fake indignation over illegal wiretaps. SHOW! SHOW! SHOW!

[CTyankee]

6. Methinks there's guilt in his heart

He knows it. He hates it. He lashes out at Reid. Watch for more of this as Dems get fiestier.

[HootieMcBoob]

7. Go Reid!

:toast: