New Democrat Arlen Specter got his committee assignments, but didn't get seniority:
The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.Since he switched, it seems like Specter has been going out of his way to say he's really not a Democrat. Looks like his new colleagues are figuring that out. And, as a Democrat, Arlen shouldn't be saying he hoped Norm Coleman wins (even if he later claimed he "misspoke.")
In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved a resolution that added Specter to the Democratic side of the dais on the five committees on which he serves, an expected move that gives Democrats larger margins on key panels such as Judiciary and Appropriations.
But Democrats placed Specter in one of the two most junior slots on each of the five committees for the remainder of this Congress, which goes through December 2010. Democrats have suggested that they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim at the committee level only after the midterm elections next year.
Basically, the Senate Democrats put Specter on probation. If Arlen wants seniority, he has to earn it. (But, keep in mind, it's not a given Specter will even be in the Senate after the next election.)
