The Washington Independent » Senate Republican Policy Committee

John Ensign Is No Longer the Third-Ranking Republican in the Senate

David Weigel — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:04:39 +0000

According to The Associated Press, he has given up his leadership of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

UPDATE: I’m hearing that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a rising star who’s expected to sail to re-election next year, is being tipped as a possible replacement for Ensign. He’s generally seen as one of the best TV performers in the GOP Senate conference, and has taken the lead on matters like, most recently, an “exit strategy” from TARP.

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The Terrorist Next Door

David Weigel — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:09:48 +0000

The headline of a just-released Senate Republican Policy Committee document on what to do with Guantanamo Bay detainees:

Meet Your New Neighbor, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad?

There’s actually nothing in the 15-page paper suggesting that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad could be released into American society. There is, however, an exposition of the problem of the 17 Uighur detainees who were cleared of enemy combatant status by the Bush administration, and who could be resettled in Virginia. So, by the transitive property: KSM could be walking out to pick up his morning paper while you’re mowing your lawn.