Sep 26, 2007 -- Von Spakovsky Nomination to FEC Punted by Senate Rules Committee: Statement of J. Gerald Hebert, Campaign Legal Center Executive Director

It is unfortunate that Senator McConnell was able to hijack today's proceedings on the controversial nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Forwarding all the nominees to the full Senate together and without recommendation is not only unprecedented, it punts his nomination to the full Senate. It is also a disservice to other nominees, who do not suffer from the same shameful history that plagues von Spakovsky. Obviously, Senator McConnell was afraid of an up or down vote on von Spakovsky, and rightfully so.

Senator Feinstein also must do everything she can, along with the Senate Democratic leadership to get an individual vote on von Spakovsky in the full Senate. If an avowed racist were nominated and part of the package of FEC nominees, would Senator McConnell still insist that they all have to be voted on together? Hardly. Von Spakovsky is no avowed racist, but he has engaged in efforts to suppress the votes of minorities, the poor, and the elderly. By sending his nomination to the full Senate, the Rules Committee cannot wash its hands of responsibility for von Spakovsky's nomination. The confirmation process has been shown to be as dysfunctional as the agency itself and today's disappointing events lay bare the desperate need to replace the FEC with an independent entity not "run" by party marionettes.

Today's actions by the Rules Committee clearly show that no nominee's partisan record of misdeeds is enough to derail their nomination to the FEC. Von Spakovsky's abuse of his position at the Department of Justice to suppress poor and minority voting rights was so egregious as to attract the condemnation of literally hundreds of civil and human rights organizations through the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

We remain hopeful that the Senate Leadership will stand tall and insist on a separate vote on the von Spakovsky's nomination. If they do, von Spakovsky will not be confirmed, as a monumental amount of evidence has been assembled which shows convincingly that he is not deserving of a promotion within our Government and is not qualified to serve on the FEC.

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