DeMint: "No One Said Anything To Me" Over Saturday Vote

By Daniel W. Reilly

(The Politico)   If Jim DeMint’s fellow senators are angry with the South Carolina Republican for keeping the body in over the weekend to vote on a massive housing reform package, they haven’t said anything to him about it.

“I don’t think anybody is happy about being here, but no one has said anything to me,” said DeMint in an interview Saturday morning.

“As a matter of fact, a number of folks who I thought would be the maddest basically said they agreed with what I am doing. I know that is not the consensus of this body, but no one asked me to relent on my side.”

However, Democratic Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy said “everybody is,” when asked if his fellow lawmakers were upset with DeMint over his tactical maneuverings.

“At least he showed up today; last time he didn’t,” said Leahy, referring to a recent incident in which DeMint forced a procedural vote in order to object to a global AIDS bill but did not attend the actual vote.

Aides said DeMint missed the vote to attend a family wedding.

DeMint forced Saturday’s vote by objecting to a measure to proceed to a vote on the housing bill Friday because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to allow DeMint to offer an amendment prohibiting mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from lobbying the federal government.
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