Joe Lieberman To Be Stripped Of Committee Chair?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will meet with Joe Lieberman on Thursday to discuss how the disaffected, controversial Connecticut Democrat-Independent fits into the future of the party.

A source with knowledge of the situation says that Reid will likely tell Lieberman that he is being stripped of his committee chairs -- a retributive move for the former vice presidential nominee's anti-Obama, anti-Democrat advocacy on behalf of John McCain.

A second source on the Hill could not definitively confirm that this would happen. But he said that leadership was far from the position it held back in February, when it was assumed that Lieberman's committee chairmanships would be safe.

There are still various outstanding issues that have the potential to prominently change the composition of the Senate. As of now, races in Alaska, Georgia and Minnesota are still undecided. Moreover, it has yet to be determined what will happen with the spots currently occupied by Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden. And on a process level, the Senate's Steering and Outreach Committee also has the opportunity to make recommendations about committee assignments.

"There are," the source says, "a lot of moving parts. There is genuine suspense around what is going to happen to Lieberman."

Lieberman chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection, and the Subcommittee on AirLand Forces. If he is booted from these posts, he very well may leave the Democratic Caucus entirely. What he can be offered by the Republican Party in terms of committee assignments remains to be seen.

Comments

[Topsailsman]

I think Joe the Senator should join his campaign pal Joe the Plumber, he seems to know how to sling the sh7t.

[CitizenoftheRepublic]

I f Joe don't go... special elections should be held in CT and NV and Reid can ride the same voter's rail right the F^&K home with Joe!

[erniebert]

Lieberman showed his true colors in his last election when CT Dems rejected his nomination in favor of Ned Lamont's. So rather than play by his party's rules, he went rogue and ran as the oxymoronic "independent democrat" he continues to call himself today. (About 3/4 of his funding came from Republican­s.) Bottom line: He's a Dem when it suits his needs and a Republican when it might further his career. That way he doesn't have to play by anybody's rules but his own. I'm a lifelong Dem who has never voted for him, from the first time he ran for Senate against a real maverick, Lowell Weiker. Lieberman should be stripped of his chairmanships, since those are plums that should be earned, not bestowed on those who simply rack up seniority in the Senate. The only thing he's earned is the disrespect of virtually every voter in CT.

[Axlotl]

Can we fire him? Seriously, let's fire him, from everythign possible. OBAMA should fire him, personally, as a "Thank you for endorsing McCain" present.. Lieberman votes with the Republicans anyway, every time, and he's a complete embarrassment to the Democratic party. Toss him out in the cold, and see how fast it takes him to turn Republican­...once he does, you'll be able to time the rest of his political life in CT with a stopwatch.

They won't, I am sure, because the Democrats do not realize that tolerating dissent is one thing, encouraging out & out treachery is another.

[rabiddog6708]

Lieberman let his support of the Iraq Invasion cloud his judgement completely. He could stood his ground on Iraq and still supported Obama, or, at least, not actively campaigned for McCain. This was a bridge too far, in my opinion. He deserves to be stripped of his committees. He only got re-elected because Republicans crossed party lines to vote for him. They like him so much, let the Repubs have him, even if it means one less Deomocrat is the Senate.

[doober]

If they have to kiss his ass to get his vote, they wont know which end to kiss

[prscnt1]

Joe L Iibrehim"

O! That One! Please have mercy on me! I have sinned!

[RDixon]

Good bye Joe, you gotta go....

Reid should make him move his office to the basement where the rest of the rats are.

[dignityandhonor]

Can't say who I was more sick of seeing over the campaign season - Droopy Dog grinning behind McCain or Cindy. Neuter this guy and let him wither on the vine until the fine folks in Conn. vote him out of office.

[widollar]

Your post is absolutely hilarious and right on the money! Thanks!

[Grit]

Joe is confused he seems to think that Israel signs his paycheck. I hope the Democrats drop kick him out the door. He belongs over in the republican side of the aisle if anywhere in congress at all.

[Mildmannered]

As a practical matter, what can the Republican party offer Lieberman?

[RickRaff]

Did they castrate him yet?

[flipbiscut24]

Aren't testicles a necessary factor for that to even be possible?

B a l l l e s s t r a i t o r.

[electionisover]

Lieberman had two issues. One was is concerned that an improper handling of the Iraq issue will jeopardize IRAQ.

The other is that he kind of ticked off the party when he lost the primary and then ran as an independent in Connecticut and won. It snubbed the party. But it worked.

[electionisover]

Sorry, I mean jeopardize Israel. :-P

[Manchurian]

Perhaps a new identity, a la the witness protection program.

[Jo-Jo123]

Get rid of him.
Joe's concern is only for himself, not his country or his constituents in Connecticut.
Hopefully the next election cycle will get rid of him completely.

[artsandminds]

Joe's problem is not his selfishness, he is not selfish, it is his loyalties that are of concern, his loyalties lie with Isreal not the United States.

[JoanieNC]

Obama will fail if he does not get rid of Pelosi, Frank and Reid.

[bobbysgurl]

Sounds like you believed all the garbage the repugs were spewing the last two weeks of their campaign. Give that crap a rest.

[Mildmannered]

I agree. (Also congrats to NC for going blue)

[Eoin45]

What nonsense. There is nobody who has a chrystal ball, not you, not anyone. Your prognostication is mere mindless speculation. Obama will fail because of three people? Give me a break.

[Grit]

Well ya see the problem is, he can't fire these people. Only the democrats in congress or the people in an election can fire them from their positions. I am afraid right now he is stuck with them. Who knows maybe this election will give them at least some small semblance of back bone.

[AxelDC]

Obama runs the White House, not Congress.

[roshni]

It needs to happen. His behavior at the RNC was unforgivable. Boot him out!

[Madmac]

You are the weakest link...Goo­dbye

[IForgotMyName]

Seems like Joe Lieberman is bringing down every candidate he is endorsing:
Gore, Kerry, McCain

Let him keep campaigning for the Republicans

[Mildmannered]

interesting observation

[ThePhotogsBlog]

Ditto that. The problem is that no-one ever really trusts a traitor, so he'll never get far enough in the Republican party to do them serious damage. Too bad. Well, maybe he can atone somehow.