Washington, D.C. – Alabama's senior Democrat in Washington, U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, says a panel formed by the state Democratic party to recommend federal appointees for President-elect Barack Obama has no legitimacy.
Davis was the chair of Obama's Alabama campaign. He said Thursday that Democratic officials established the panel before the process had been approved by President-elect Obama.
Alabama Democratic Party chairman Joe Turnham responded that the committee is no different from panels formed when former Democratic presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were elected.
Turnham said the panel will give Democrats in Alabama a chance to be involved in the process. But he said it is not intended to take the final decision on appointments away from Obama or to diminish Davis' role.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)