Von Spakovsky To Have Separate Vote

It's abhorrent that someone whose entire professional career has been devoted to suppressing minority votes would be given an opportunity to sit on the Federal Election Commission, but that's what's happening. However, it will be a separate vote, which is not really a separate vote. Instead of voting on all 4 new FEC Commissioners at once, Hans Von Spakovsky will get his own vote. But he's still tied to the other three.

The plan hatched Wednesday would allow von Spakovsky’s nomination to move to the floor separately with two hours of debate beforehand. If his nomination passes, as Democratic aides predict it would, the Senate would move to votes on the other three uncontested FEC nominees.

Von Spakovsky’s opponents agreed to the deal because it would allow senators to vote against his appointment while voting in favor of the other nominees.

If von Spakovsky’s nomination should fail, the Senate would not consider the other nominees.

“It’s all or nothing,” Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said Wednesday afternoon.

So this is a bit of kabuki theater so that some Senators can go back to their states and say "See, I tried!" There's some Democrat from Nevada who's up for a vote, so Harry Reid wants him confirmed. And he'll allow a known vote suppressor on the Commission - in an election year! - in order to get it done.

But not so fast. Russ Feingold is having none of it:

A credible but non-Hill source told me that Feingold is going to object to McConnell's attempt to force von Spakovsky onto the FEC through this tactic. I don't know if the FEC will shut down if it doesn't have enough commissioners, but this is another back-against-the-wall surge strategy maneuver from the right-wing.

Feingold's standing his ground. Good for Russ. And Reid is not. Boo.

You can always count on Russ to do the right thing. He should put a hold on the whole process.

UPDATE: Apparently Barack Obama scuttled the deal.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Wednesday derailed a plan blessed by Senate leaders to vote on controversial Federal Election Commission White House nominee Hans von Spakovsky, a move giving Democrats time to breathe in the ongoing Senate stalemate on FEC nominees. ...

But a vote on the deal, which was expected to come to the floor as early as today, appeared to be off by mid-day Wednesday after Obama — and unconfirmed others — voiced concerns that von Spakovsky’s nomination was too controversial not to go through regular floor proceedings.

A Democratic aide said Senate offices continue to explore "concerns with Mr. von Spakovsky, if they rise to the level of other objections, as well as where the caucus lies."

That's leadership, right there, leading by example.