Pelosi Goes 0-2: Alcee Hastings Out

Why would she try to put a federal judge impeached for bribery on the Intelligence Committee?

by Rod D. Martin
November 28, 2006

Under intense pressure from all sides, Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi today dropped her bid to make impeached (for bribery!) federal judge turned Congressman Alcee Hastings chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Hastings -- one of only three federal judges to be impeached and removed from office in the entire 20th century, and that by his fellow Democrats (including Pelosi) -- was Pelosi's top pick for the post, which oversees all of the nation's top secrets and plays a key role in directing U.S. intelligence efforts and the war on terror.

This makes Pelosi's second high profile loss since the November 7 elections.  Earlier, she had tried to impose ABSCAM unindicted co-conspirator John Murtha on her caucus as the new House Majority Leader, over the more senior (and as it turns out, vastly more popular) Steny Hoyer.  ABSCAM was a 1979-1980 FBI sting operation against Congressmen seeking bribes from Arab sheiks.

The very fact that these men remain in pub…