There are rumblings within the Senate Democratic caucus that Daniel Inouye (D-HI) should give up his gavel as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Basically, some senators think he is too old and infirm to run the committee, and that he has delegated too much to his staff which just does the bidding of the Obama administration.
I don’t have an opinion on the merits of this critique, but I want to point out that such a move would have big implications. If Inouye were to step down, Patrick Leahy of Vermont would take over. He would have to give his chair of Judiciary to Diane Feinstein who would have to give her gavel of Intelligence to Barbara Mikulski.
And Daniel Inouye has enough seniority to claim the chair of Commerce (Rockefeller), Rules (Schumer), or Indian Affairs (Cantwell).
I don’t think anything is going to happen, but Inouye was recently hospitalized with problems breathing. If he doesn’t continue his role chairing Appropriations, there could be a big reshuffling of power in the Senate.
