Thread: McCain's Missed Votes Elicit Call for His Resignation From H

This comes from the Democratic Party Website

McCain's Missed Votes Elicit Call for His Resignation From Home-state Republican

May 23, 2007

A senior Republican state legislator from John McCain's home state of Arizona "called on Sen. John McCain to resign from his seat Tuesday if he continues to miss votes while campaigning for president." [Arizona Daily Star, 5/23/07] The news comes as the GOP presidential wannabe returns to Washington, not for votes, but to meet with his struggling campaign's finance committee and hold a rooftop fundraiser hosted by D.C. lobbyists. [johnmccain.com]

A recent report cited McCain as having "missed 43 votes, nearly 50 percent of the current Congress' votes," a substantially greater number than any other presidential candidate. Among those votes McCain has missed are almost every major vote on Iraq, despite championing the President's failed strategy and the Bush-McCain escalation. [Arizona Daily Star, 5/23/07; U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 1st Session (2007)]

State legislator Russell Pearce, Chairman of the Arizona State House's Appropriations Committee, said that "if McCain wants to be a full-time candidate and not be at the Senate, he ought to consider resigning." Pearce's comments come days after McCain lashed out at fellow Republican Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), after the Texan called out McCain for being "out of line" by choosing to "parachute in" at the last minute despite not sitting in on negotiations on the Senate immigration bill. At that time McCain responded by accusing Cornyn of "making a 'chickens-t' argument" and shouting, "[Expletive] you!" It's yet to be seen how he'll respond to Pearce. [Washingtonpost.com, 5/18/07; Roll Call, 5/21/07; Arizona Daily Star, 5/23/07]

"Even to Republicans in his home state, it has become obvious that John McCain is willing to do anything to win the GOP primary except the job taxpayers are paying him to do," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "Fundraisers with lobbyists and meetings to save his struggling presidential campaign shouldn't be the priority when McCain is in Washington. McCain owes the people of Arizona an explanation."

http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/05/mccains_missed.php

Pearce calls for McCain to resign
By Daniel Scarpinato
arizona daily star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.23.2007

PHOENIX — A Phoenix-area Republican legislator called on Sen. John McCain to resign from his seat Tuesday if he continues to miss votes while campaigning for president.

State Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa also said he regrets supporting Sen. Jon Kyl during last year's election because the senator now supports a comprehensive immigration bill — though he stopped short of calling for Kyl's resignation.

"It's about time we start cleaning house if that's what it takes," said Pearce, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

According to the Washington Post, McCain has missed 43 votes, nearly 50 percent of the current Congress' votes. In comparison, Hillary Clinton has missed less than 2 percent of votes and Barack Obama has missed 6.4 percent, according to the Post.

"We need a senator," Pearce said. "I think if McCain wants to be a full-time candidate and not be at the Senate, he ought to consider resigning."

Pearce's comments, made to reporters on the lawn of the state Capitol, come a day after state GOP Chairman Randy Pullen said Republicans are tearing up their registration cards in frustration over a compromise bill on immigration that Kyl helped produce.

But Pearce said he wasn't raising the issue of McCain's voting record because of the current immigration debate, on which he disagrees with McCain.

"This is about representing Arizona properly," said Pearce, who said he has not communicated his displeasure to McCain or his staff.

Eileen McMenamin, a spokeswoman for McCain, said the senator's absence has not impacted legislation and he is still representing his constituents.

"Although he has missed a few votes, he works really hard to ensure that he has not missed any votes in which his vote would have been the determining one," she said.

McCain doesn't have any plans of doing so, but if he were to resign, his seat would be filled by Gov. Janet Napolitano — a Democrat who would need to appoint a Republican.

Asked if he would prefer a Napolitano appointee over McCain, Pearce said: "Even poor representation is better than no representation."

"You look at the others who are running, even on the Dem-ocratic side, and they've done what's right," said Pearce, who has not endorsed any candidate.

Regarding Kyl's support for the immigration bill, Pearce said the conservative senator should be "fired from that job" if he votes for the immigration compromise, which includes a path to citizenship.

"He promised us he wouldn't do that, so to side with Ted Kennedy on this issue is a slap in the face to everyone who stood up and fought and supported him."

Kyl addressed that concern Monday on the floor of the Senate, stating that "in a body of 100 senators that are supposed to try to work together to find solutions to problems, do you not at least acknowledge that every now and then you have to sit down and talk to each other, even when you're on the other side of the aisle?"

The press conference was publicized by the staff in the Arizona House of Representatives.

Asked if that constituted an improper use of state funds for political purposes, Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, said he didn't think so.
Weiers wouldn't take a position on whether it was wrong for McCain to miss votes, saying: "I think he's done a great job for the state ... ."

ARIZONA

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I second that motion!

W

I think it's safe to say that the majority of the American people also want this lunatic to resign also!

Maybe he can hang out at boosh's new property in venezuela.

"

It's about time we start cleaning house if that's what it takes," said Pearce, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee

Yep, we so need some serious house cleaning in DC before it's too late and starting with McCain would be great.

I'm afraid you'll need a manure shovel rather than a broom.

I agree they should be asking him to resign immediately! He's blatantly not working for the taxpayers of Arizona and getting a paycheck! He should be kicked out for not showing up for work!