Specter Loses Seniority

Heh. 

Arlen Specter was in the driver’s seat when the Senate Judiciary Committee grilled the two newest Supreme Court justices back in 2005, but the Pennsylvania senator won’t be front and center next time.

Specter jumped from the Republican party to the Democratic party last week, putting the Democrats within reach of a 60-seat “supermajority” that could make it all but impossible for Republicans to block Democratic legislation.

On Tuesday the Senate confirmed that the party switch dropped him to the bottom of the heap in terms of seniority.

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Specter lost his seniority on other committees as well, including the powerful Appropriations Committee — the one that doles out money. He’s now junior to Montana’s Sen. Jon Tester, who has been in the Senate since 2007.