Female lawmakers, women’s groups back Maloney’s bid for Oversight

Powerful female lawmakers and liberal women’s groups are backing Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s (D-N.Y.) bid for the ranking position on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Maloney and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) are battling it out to be the leading Democratic voice on the committee.

{mosads}Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), two of the most senior women in the House, are supporting Maloney’s bid. Both will speak on Maloney’s behalf at Thursday’s Democratic Steering Committee meeting.

That committee will determine the ranking positions on all House committees. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) will nominate Maloney, and Moore, among others, will second her nomination.

The full Democratic caucus will then vote on the nominations Thursday morning if both Maloney and Cummings reach a 14-vote benchmark from the steering committee.

Less than 24 hours ago, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) stunned members of the Oversight panel by announcing his decision to step down as the top Democrat on the panel. Democrats, including Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), had urged Towns to allow a more combative candidate to take his place to battle aggressive incoming Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.).
 
On Wednesday, executives from the several liberal-leaning women’s organizations circulated a letter touting Maloney’s candidacy. The signers include: Eleanor Smeal of Feminist Majority, Terry O’Neill of National Organization for Women (NOW), Siobhan “Sam” Bennett of the Women’s Campaign Fund, Lulu Flores of the National Women’s Political Caucus, Marcia Pappas of NOW’s New York office and Loula Loi-Alifoyiannis of the EuroAmerican Women’s Council.

“[Maloney] is next in seniority after Congressman Ed Towns and has an extraordinary record of legislative accomplishment and effective oversight,” they wrote. “She knows how to fight and how to foil an unfair attack.”

In the letter, the women’s groups said Maloney has a long legislative record and has served as a strong and effective advocate for women. The groups pointed to her efforts to fight “big oil” and her work on the landmark Credit Card Act, which prevents credit card companies from engaging in tricks and traps that entangle consumers in a cycle of debt. Among a series of other legislative achievements, they also cited her work on Breast Cancer Detection Act of 1997, which provides annual mammograms for women on Medicare.

“In short, Congresswoman Maloney is a strong and effective fighter, a prolific legislator and a hard worker,” they wrote. “She is precisely the sort of person that should be leading OGR at a difficult time. She has never backed down from a fight and we are proud to support her in this one.”

Cummings has the support of a large swath of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, even though Towns, a CBC member, has thrown his support behind Maloney, citing her seniority. Cummings also has the backing of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who had initially decided to run for the position but threw his support behind Cummings.

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) will nominate Cummings at the Steering Committee hearing. Cummings told The Hill he’s concentrating on getting support from members, since that is who’ll be voting.

— This story was last updated on Dec. 17 at 12:42 p.m.