While stripping Joe of his committee assignments is a necessary first step, I don't think it will be enough.
Every Democrat in the Senate has to repudiate Joe's Independent bid and tell him that if he persists they will NOT take calls from any lobbyists who donate to Joe's post-primary campaign or who are related to Joe in any way.
This would, of course include Joe himself, if he had any desire to become a lobbyist after he loses AGAIN in November. And he will lose (see Jacob Javits in 1980 for an exact parallel situation). But we DON'T need him distracting and detracting from our efforts to take back the House and Senate this fall.
For those who don't know, not only was Joe's primary campaign heavily funded by lobbyists, his wife Hadassah is a "senior counselor" in the "health and pharmaceuticals practice" of DC mega-lobbying firm Hill & Knowlton.
Dems not taking calls from lobbyists associated with Joe will hit him where it really hurts: the campaign and family checkbooks.
Anyone here think he doesn't deserve this? As Chicago Mayor Harold Washington used to say "Politics ain't beanbag!"