Editorial: Federal Election Commission

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, May, 2008

The Senate needs to work on reviving the dormant Federal Election Commission, which hasn't met all year. That's because the FEC - which is responsible for enforcing federal election laws - has four vacancies out of six seats. While Senate Republicans and Democrats play partisan games over President Bush's nominees, the FEC can't make a quorum.

In a presidential election year, one good-government group said, it's like playing the World Series without an umpire. The withdrawal of nominee Hans von Spakovsky, whom the GOP had insisted be voted on in a package with other appointees, could clear the way for the Senate to fill the vacancies. But the White House is insisting that the Senate vote on a long list of other nominees, including those for the FEC. Senate Majority Leader...