Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sen. Jim DeMint
Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) wanted so badly to expand the border fence dividing the United States and Mexico, he attached his proposal to an effort opening up a secretive procedure in the Senate—and in the process killed it.
“Secret holds” allow senators to anonymously block legislation or nominations. DeMint insisted his maneuver was not intended to derail the bipartisan plan to eliminate the practice of secret holds , but his explanation was no comfort to those who had worked months to open up the Senate.
“I cannot recall another instance where the cause of open government took a beating… like the cause of open government took this afternoon,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who helped lead the initiative. Wyden added that it felt like they had been “kneecapped” by DeMint.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Reform of “Secret Holds” Derailed in Senate (Secrecy News)
Senator's Pursuit of Border Fence Kills Attempt to Reform Secret Holds (by G.W. Schulz, Center for Investigative Reporting)
At Least Three Senators Who Oppose Secret Holds Have Holds of Their Own (by J. Taylor Rushing, The Hill)
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