Leahy not so sure about Specter-Durbin deal

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) has some questions about the deal Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) made with Arlen Specter to make Specter the chairman of a Senate subcommittee.

Leahy, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, suggested it isn’t Durbin’s decision whether Specter will chair the Crime and Drugs Subcommittee.

“Oh, he’s now chairman?” Leahy said angrily, according to Fox News. “This is great.”

Specter was stripped of his seniority by Democrats on Tuesday, a surprise to the Pennsylvania Democrat who thought he was maintaining his committee status when he crossed the aisles.

Durbin’s move was an attempt to quell the controversy and provide Specter with some clout in his home state when he runs for re-election.

Under the deal, Durbin would head up a now defunct subcommittee on Human Rights.

Leahy hasn’t given the deal the green light yet.

“We need to work out something. Nothing’s been worked out,”