Chuckle Worthy: No Recess Appointments For Obama

A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the U.S. Senate is in recess the President can act alone by making a recess appointment.

The Hill reports "GOP forces Senate pro-forma session, blocking Warren recess appointment."

Republicans are preventing the Senate from completely adjourning for the Memorial Day recess. Instead, the chamber will come in for three pro-forma sessions over the next 10 days.

The cursory sessions are a formality that will ensure President Obama does not make recess appointments, a prospect that was considered unlikely anyway because the recess is scheduled for only a week.

Some Republicans feared that Obama would use the recess to appoint Elizabeth Warren to head the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which will have broad powers over Wall Street.

Most presidents, if not all, make appointments while the Senate is adjourned, especially if they feel their nominee won't be confirmed by the Senate.

It is an end run around the Senate and isn't in any way illegal.

But on a slow news day, I will take my chuckles where I can get them.

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