Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met with Independent/Republican Senator Joe Lieberman to tell him there will be consequences for Joe Lieberman’s many transgressions against the Democratic Party during this election season, from supporting John McCain, to his dishonest attacks against President-elect Barack Obama, to his actual campaigning for Republican candidates for Congress. Reid’s punishment: Lieberman will lose the Chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Lieberman made it clear he is not happy with that, given his statement in a press conference yesterday that he would consider “the options that I have before me.”
What was an indirect threat became a direct threat today when a Lieberman aide said:
“Senator Lieberman’s preference is to stay in the caucus, but he’s going to keep all his options open,” a Lieberman aide said. “McConnell has reached out to him and at this stage his position is he wants to remain in the caucus but losing the chairmanship is unacceptable.”
Translation: If Lieberman does not get what he wants (i.e. immunity for his actions and retention of his Chairmanship), he will bolt the Caucus.
Lieberman is expecting this threat to silence Reid, either directly or through the private lobbying of his friends in the Democratic Caucus. A Reid aide has also said that this situation will be resolved by a vote of the caucus. Meaning, in the end, Democratic Senators other Reid will decide Lieberman’s fate.
Therefore, we must get to the phones and/or sent those emails. Tom Carper is one of Lieberman’s friends.The number for the Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Ask Carper whether he supports Lieberman remaining as Chair of the Homeland Security committee, given his unfair attacks on President-elect Obama. Be polite, and calm, for the staffers who answer the phone are just doing their jobs. If the staffer doesn’t know, tell him that Joe Lieberman must be removed as the Chairman, and if Lieberman refuses, the he must be voted out of the caucus.