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D.C. Dispatches by Cynthia Dizikes

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    Franken heading up Judiciary Committee?

    By Cynthia Dizikes | Published Wed, Jul 15 2009 3:21 pm

    WASHINGTON, D.C. - Returning from a brief break, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy realized that his microphone wasn’t working. Sen. Al Franken, who sits all the way at the end of the table because of his position as the most junior member of the committee, kindly offered his spot to his senior colleague. Laughter ensued in the committee room.

    Leahy, however, took him up on his offer -- to the shock of everyone watching -- until the technical difficulties could be solved. This sent Leahy to the end of the table and Franken to the head, prompting the lead Republican on the committee, Sen. Jeff Sessions R-Ala., to say that’s the “quickest rise of any senator in history.”

    And, for about 10 seconds, Franken did enjoy the rarified air in the top seat before standing up and saying, “I shouldn’t do this” amid more laughter from the audience.

    The problem was finally solved, and Leahy and Franken returned to their respective positions.

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    Illustration by Hugh Bennewitz

    minnpost.com/cynthiadizikes


    Cynthia Dizikes is MinnPost's Washington, D.C., correspondent and covers Minnesota's congressional delegation and reports on developments out of Washington that are important to Minnesota readers. She received her master's degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and has worked as an intern in the Los Angeles Times' Washington bureau, reporting on a variety of topics, and as a reporter for the Anniston Star in Alabama. Her work has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Tribune, Congress Daily and on National Public Radio. She can be reached at cdizikes [at] minnpost [dot] com.

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