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Nominee Needs Training Democrats have this quaint notion that presidents should nominate experienced people to sit on boards and commissions overseeing various matters. Despite ample and bipartisan precedent to the contrary, they believe this practice should continue even in June of an election year.
So there was Sen. Frank J. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) at a Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing Wednesday, talking to retired oil industry executive Enrique Sosa from Florida, nominated to the Amtrak board of directors.
Lautenberg badgered Sosa, a major GOP contributor who has given a bit to Democrats, about some labor matters. Then he noted that Sosa, breaking custom for nominees, had not submitted an opening statement. And on documents he did submit, Sosa said he had no experience on land transportation matters.
Have you ever ridden on Amtrak or in the Northeast corridor? Lautenberg asked. Well, no, Sosa replied. But he pledged to do so if confirmed.
Fair enough. After all, are all lawmakers overseeing NASA experienced in space travel?