With less than three weeks to go before hurricane season starts, Louisiana Senator David Vitter has lifted his hold on Obama's nomination of Craig Fugate to head FEMA.
Why was Diaper Dave holding up having a FEMA director in place? Well, apparently his campaign tactics are even odder than his sexual predilections -- and a lot more damaging to others.
Daily Kingfish has the timeline:
Fall 2005: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana.
Fall 2005 - Winter 2009: Bush Administration delays, delays and delays ...
Circa March 2009: Vitter (FINALLY) asks FEMA questions re: rebuilding
03/04/2009: Obama nominates former Florida Governor Jeb Bush's emergency management director to head up FEMA.
03/05/2009: Other Republicans laud the choice.
05/01/2009: The Sinning Senator Vitter places a hold on Fugate because he's waiting for some answers from FEMA that it took him 4 years to ask.
05/07/2009: Sinning Senator Vitter sends out a fundraising ask highlighting the hold on Fugate.
There was one more date that needed to be on that timeline:
06/01/2009: Hurricane season begins.
Did you get that? Hurricane season begins.
This was all in the context of his weak polling numbers.
Taking aim at him for playing chicken with his state's safety, Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), the New York Times in an editorial, radio host and former Republican State Rep. Chris Tidmore, Rachel Maddow, and the DSCC:
Vitter lost his game of chicken, and Fugate's confirmation can proceed. But in the process, Vitter showed just how much suffering he's willing to put other people at risk of in the name of his own reelection.