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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BOB FILNER? -- House Vets' Chair

appears to be "MIA" on Capitol Hill. No Committee hearings,

staff firings and lack of communication spur insiders to ask:

Is Filner doing the job? Harsher critics ask:

Can Filner do the job?

 

 

Commentary below:

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Phone calls to the press office on the Democratic side of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs are met with, "All questions will have to be addressed to the Chairman."

The purpose of a press office is to answer questions so the Chairman can spend time being the Chairman.  But, not now.

Calls and emails to the Chairman, Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), go unanswered.

So, where in the world is Bob Filner?

The "silencing" of the press office was not the first sign of trouble.

Earlier this month Filner sacked three key Committee staffers.  Those staffers could have provided Filner with the legislative experience needed to hit the ground running in the 110th Congress.  (Story here... http://www.vawatchdog.org/
07/nf07/nfJAN07/nf011807-8.htm )

The House Committee has held no hearings, while the Senate Vets' Committee is operating like a well-oiled machine because of a good working relationship between former Chair Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) and new Chair Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI).  Craig must be commended for his efforts to keep the Senate panel working smoothly.

The Democratic pages of the House Committee's web site haven't been updated since December 20, 2006, over a month.  Filner has issued no press releases since then while his Republican counterpart, Ranking Minority Member and former Chair Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), has provided regular press information.

Filner has problems.

Getting the Chair was not an easy job for Filner.  Late last year the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee voted the Chair to Filner by a thin margin of 24-20.  Nipping at Filner's heels for the job was Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME).  Many thought Filner to be too "hot-headed" to be Chair and looked at Michaud as a stabilizing influence.  (Story here... http://www.vawatchdog
.org/nfDEC06/nf120906-3.htm )

Adding to Filner's problems was lack of support from former Ranking Democratic Member Lane Evans (D-IL).  Evans had dropped out of day-to-day work in the House because of his Parkinson's Disease and did not run for re-election in 2006.  Evans, had he stayed, would have become Chair.

Filner eventually got the votes, but not the confidence of Democrats on The Hill.

Today, we have a mess at the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.  Filner is "MIA."

Rumblings inside The Beltway have many asking:  Is Filner doing the job?  At this moment, the answer is "NO."  Some are even asking:  Can Filner do the job?  The harshest critics, Democrats and Republicans are saying "NO."

What's interesting here is that very few are saying, "Give him some time."

And, one well-placed source indicates there is even a move afoot to have Filner removed as Chairman.  This is not unprecedented.  Just two years ago, at the beginning of the 109th Congress, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) was removed by the Republican leadership for not towing the party line and siding with Democrats in urging mandatory funding for VA healthcare.

Will Filner lose the Chair?  That's up to Democratic leadership.

Should Filner lose the Chair?  If Bob Filner doesn't open up the lines of communication with his own staff and the press, get a knowledgeable staff to work on legislative matters and get down to some Committee work, that decision could be made for him.

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Larry Scott

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