Has anyone been following the mystery of the "secret hold"

[whometense]

some senator put on the (Sens. Coburn and Obama) bill on government transparency?

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001428.php

Blogosphere Unites in Pursuit of Masked Senator
By Paul Kiel - August 28, 2006, 1:04 PM

Who's trying to stop the government from telling its citizens where their tax dollars are being spent? Help find out.

Just before the August recess, the Senate was set to vote on a bill introduced by Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) that would create a public, searchable database of all federal grants and contracts. Envisioned as a Google-like website, it would provide free, immediate access the information, which can be alarmingly difficult to obtain.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously passed the measure July 27th, and S.2590 seemed to be speeding on its way to full Senate passage when, in the dark of night, an unknown Senator placed a "secret hold" on the bill. According to Senate rules, the bill will never come to a vote as long as the hold continues.

So who's the culprit?

Kerry's a co-sponsor of the bill.

List here: http://tpmmuckraker.com/secret_hold.php

One of the strangest parts of this - if one senator can stop a bill cold like this, why isn't this maneuver used more often to stop horrible bills?

[whometense]

1. Carpetbagger covers it too

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/8322.html#more-8322

TPM Muckraker readers helped Kiel expand this list quite a bit. Based on the current tally, 65 senators have denied placing the hold. There are 34 whose positions are unknown, while one senator — Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) — refused to answer.

Chambliss' office gave me a, "No senator would answer that question, I mean, come on, it's a secret." I replied that "Johnny Isakson's office gave an on the record 'No'; is Senator Chambliss willing to state publicly that he is not the mystery senator?" The answer was a "No, he will not state either he is or is not."

[MH1]

2. I feel like I've been under a rock

I didn't know about this. Thanks for posting!

This is the kind of stuff that makes me mad enough to chew nails though.

You know who I think it is? Ted Stevens. Somehow that name jumped immediately to mind when I read this, and I see he's one whose office hasn't responded.

[blm]

3. I'd say Roberts, Hatch, Blunt or Bond.

.

[whometense]

4. The prime candidates I've heard mentioned

were Chambliss, Byrd and Ted Stevens.

Here's the current list:

Senators Unknown or Who Refuse Answer:
(Senators who have refused to answer are in bold and italicized.)

Byrd, Robert C.- (D - WV)
Crapo, Mike- (R - ID)
Gregg, Judd- (R - NH)
Hatch, Orrin G.- (R - UT)
Stevens, Ted- (R - AK)
Bennett, Robert F.- (R - UT) - a staffer denied, but not unequivocally

So I guess Chambliss is off the hook.

[ProSense]

5. This is such a devious tactic

I wouldn't be surprised about Stevens given his complete lack of understanding related to the Internet.

Byrd? Interesting! What would be the objection?

[whometense]

6. PORK!!!!!

Evidently, he's reallllly good at it.

[ProSense]

7. LOL!

Caught me off guard: I was waiting for a little of Byrd's unique logic!

[whometense]

8. Looks like it might be Stevens.

I know - SHOCKER, right?

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001440.php

Stevens has been the odds-on favorite since the hunt for the Holder Who Dare Not Speak His Name began.

But did he really do it? Well, he had a motive: As the paper and others have noted, Stevens and Coburn have clashed before -- in particular over Stevens' now-legendary "bridge to nowhere." Coburn attempted (and failed) to block the $233 million boondoggle. And revenge certainly fits the senior Alaskan's m.o. "Stevens can play rough," the Seattle Times noted in June. "Despite denials from his staff, he retaliates - and doesn't mind waiting years to do so."

Stevens' office has so far refused to comment on the hold. Ninety-five other senators have confirmed they were not responsible.

[MH1]

11. Heh heh - what do I win?

:7

Just saw this at dailykos and came over to crow. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/30/05452/9335

[whometense]

12. You win the

chance to yell I TOLD YOU SO.

And we just have to sit and take it. :D

[MH1]

14. Hee hee

I'm just glad the blogosphere forced the friggin bastid to own up.

This little maneuver just had the Stevens stench all over it.

[globalvillage]

16. Wow, you're good. n/t.

[Inuca]

9. So, does anybody...

... know the answer to whometense's question? I know that for certain things (judicial nominations?) a senator from the affected state can put a hold, but this is a general bill. I would really be interested to know what are the rules about this, but do not have the time to search for the answer. By the way, quite a combination, Obama & COburn, don't you think?

[whometense]

10. I do think. ;-)

I saw a web page yesterday that had a lot of info on the "secret hold" thing - but unfortunately didn't bookmark it.

This article has more info: http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/15374295.htm

I'll post that link if I find it again. I tried to read it, but the language was so convoluted I couldn't figure out what it was saying. (pure legalese)

[whometense]

13. DEFINTIELY Stevens

The bastard outed himself.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001445.php

"MASKED" BILL-BLOCKER REVEALS SELF
By Paul Kiel - August 30, 2006, 1:59 PM

A spokesman for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) just confirmed his boss was the man behind the secret hold on the Coburn/Obama spending database bill, which has captivated a segment of the political blogging community in recent days.

"Sen. Stevens does have a hold on the bill," said the spokesman, who would only speak on the condition he not be named. He added that Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-OK) office was notified of the hold after it was placed. So Coburn's comments two weeks ago may have been duly informed.

So why does Stevens say he placed the hold? Why did it take this long for him to say so? And will he lift it?

We'll have more soon...

[ProSense]

15. Stevens is a total

fruitcake! I had a strong suspicion it was him. Can't trust Repugs!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=273&topic_id=84626&mesg_id=84626


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=273&topic_id=94836&mesg_id=95149

[_dynamicdems]

21. Might it have something to do with this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2028398

[whometense]

17. Is Byrd doing it too?

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001450.php

Is a Dem Also Holding Up the Porkbusting Bill?
By Paul Kiel and Justin Rood - August 31, 2006, 11:32 AM

There's a loose thread to this "secret hold" story, and it bothers us.

By this morning, the dogged persistence of hundreds of bloggers and blogreaders garnered denials from 98 senators saying they did not hold up the Coburn/Obama spending transparency database bill. Only one senator, Ted "King of Pork" Stevens (R-AK), has admitted placing a hold on the bill.

But do the math -- you'll find that makes 99 senators. And Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) ain't one.

That's right: Byrd, whose penchant for pork would probably win him the Pork Crown if he weren't saddled with minority status, has for days declined to answer constituents and others who have asked if he put a hold on the spending database proposal, S. 2590.

We have called and emailed his office and press secretary at least a half-dozen times over two days. Yesterday, we were promised a statement by the end of the day; none came. This morning, spokesman Tom Gavin continued to blame Byrd's travel schedule for the lack of response.

What's more, staff in the personal and leadership offices of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) have been almost uniformly mum on the issue. If Byrd placed a hold on the legislation, he would have had to notify Reid's office to do so. After several calls and conversations with numerous staffers, Reid spokesman Jon Steinberg would say for the record only that "it's the policy of our office not to talk about holds."...

[ProSense]

18. Here's the answer:

BYRD ADMITS HE PLACED A HOLD, NOW LIFTS IT

By Rebecca Carr | Thursday, August 31, 2006, 03:39 PM

West Virginia Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd admits that he placed a “secret hold” on legislation that would make uncovering the Byzantine world of federal contracting as easy as typing a Google search.

Tom Gavin, spokesperson for Byrd, confirmed to Cox Newspapers that the senator placed the hold on legislation introduced by Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., before voting on the measure.

Byrd joins Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, for holding up the bill right before Congress left town on August 4.

Byrd merely wanted more time to evaluate the legislation that would create a new database of some $2.5 trillion in federal spending on contracts, loans, financial assistance and insurance.

“Senator Byrd wanted time to read the legislation, understand its implications, and see whether the proposal could be improved,” Gavin said.

more...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/washington/washington/entries/2006/08/31/byrd_admits_he.html

[Democrafty]

19. Interesting n/t

[whometense]

20. He and Stevens were

reading off the same page. Very very feeble, if you ask me.

Harrumph.