The Hastings Problem

Will the new Speaker – Elect appoint a former Impeached Judge, Alcee Hastings to be Chairman of the Intelligence Committee in the House of Representatives. Time States the following, ‘ Pelosi — and the Democrats, for that matter — cannot afford another misstep so early in her tenure. ’ In pure political terms the Conservative Democrats should reminded the Speaker – Elect that there is another election in Two years, and the point of the Democratic victory was based on the flaws of the Republicans, to appoint someone who was impeached and thrown out of office by the Senate would raise questions if any thing had changed on the Hill.

David Corn writing in the Liberal leaning Nation states the following on Hastings. ‘ In the late 1980s, Hastings, then a federal judge, was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House on bribery and perjury charges and removed from office by the Democratic-led Senate. He was later elected to the House and subsequently joined the intelligence committee. ’ Corn states the following solution for the new Speaker to think about, ‘ She ought to instead adopt a radical stance and give this most important job to the most qualified person. ’ This would be the prudent political action to take, or in pure political terms the Republicans can come back and say, that the Democrats have learnt nothing from their problems.