While watching The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC in the Portland, Maine market, I just now saw the most unusual advocacy ad: an ad advocating the confirmation of Gina McCarthy to head the EPA, a vote on whom was recently boycotted by the GOP.
This kind of political advertisement seems like a queer bird indeed. I find it extraordinary that the President's nominees have become so universally obstructed by Congress that television ads begging for their confirmation are being produced by independent groups.
The Hill reports that the boycott won't be repeated:
Republicans have said they will attend the vote, however, and Democrats hope one or two of them will even back McCarthy's nomination.So, on the eve of moving forward again with McCarthy's nomination, I see this ad. I think this illustrates just how pervasive the political opposition to the Obama administration is. We shouldn't have to resort to television advertisements begging Congress to do its job.“I think the nomination will move tomorrow. I don’t think there will be a great outpouring of support,” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), a member of the committee, told reporters in the Capitol on Wednesday.
Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee boycotted last week’s committee vote because they want the EPA to hand over more information and data used in crafting regulations opposed by Republicans and industry.