Debbie Schlussel: A Sane Democrat: Sen. Claire McCaskill to the Rescue on ICE Princess Nom.
This woman gets it . . . again. In spades. Yes, yet again, Missouri U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is the only Senator in the U.S. Senate who doesn't think the naked ICE Princess wears clothing.
As I wrote back in September, McCaskill was the only Senator on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee to vote NO on the Julie Myers Immigraton and Customs Enforcement nomination. At the time, she said she voted against Myers because Myers refused to answer her questions about how many employers were prosecuted following raids of employers of illegal aliens. And while she voted against Myers, the nomination moved forward.
But, now, McCaskill has put a hold on the Julie Myers nomination due to the Blackface Halloween Party award that Myers gave, last week. Well, it's about time. More from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (thanks to reader G for the tip):
Sen. Claire McCaskill moved Tuesday to block a confirmation vote on Julie Myers, the nominee of the administration of President George W. Bush for the top immigration enforcer.McCaskill, D-Mo., said she was acting because of questions raised about Myers' role in a Halloween contest in which an agency employee wore a racially offensive costume.
Myers heads the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency as a recess appointee of Bush and is awaiting Senate confirmation.
She was a judge at last week's contest in which the employee was recognized for having the "most original" costume: a prisoner with a black-and-white striped outfit, dreadlocks, and bronze makeup on his face, according to Kelly Nantel, an agency spokeswoman.
McCaskill said she was putting a "hold" on the nomination until she gets answers to several questions, including why a photograph of Myers with the costumed employee was destroyed."The minute she saw the costume, she should have asked him to leave, not posed for a picture with him," said McCaskill, who sent a letter to Myers Tuesday asking for a full explanation of the incident. . . .
McCaskill was a sharp critic of Myers well before the Halloween incident. She says the administration is not aggressive enough in prosecuting employers who hire illegal workers, a charge Myers disputes.
McCaskill said the Halloween incident confirmed her belief that Myers should not run the immigration agency.
"This is about judgment and how you handle your responsibility as the leader of a very large organization," she said.
In the letter, McCaskill said the agency must show "zero tolerance for racial insensitivity" and said "this sorry episode does exactly the opposite."
Myers won committee approval in September with McCaskill the lone no vote.
Right on!!!!!!! Brava, Brava, Brava. This Senator gets it.
Exit Question: Why don't the other 99 get it?
Posted by Debbie on November 7, 2007 03:14 PM to Debbie Schlussel