West Virginia’s Robert Byrd nixes talk that he might resign as Chairman of the all-powerful Appropriations Committee:
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Senior Democratic senators privately considered Tuesday Sen. Robert Byrd’s capacity to handle his spot at the top of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, but the 90-year-old lawmaker won’t be stepping down from the demanding job, his office told CNN.
Roll Call first reported the discussions by several Democratic senators, and a Democratic aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to CNN the thrust of the newspaper report.
“There are some who have concerns,” the aide said. “Ahead of the appropriations season, some people have concerns which leaked out of a meeting.”
But the West Virginia senator’s spokesman, Jesse Jacobs, rejected talk of replacing Byrd as chairman of the committee.
“Once again, it appears that Washington insiders are practicing what they do best — petty rumor mongering,” Jacobs said in a statement.
Like Strom Thurmond before him, former Exalted Cyclops Bobby Byrd is a walking advertisement for term limits.
