Montana Sen. Max Baucus wields extraordinary power as chair of the Senate Finance Committee. <a href="http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-warn-baucus-with-gavel-threat-2009-07-29.html" title="But a story in The Hill Wednesday”>But a story in The Hill Wednesday says Baucus’ gavel could be in jeopardy, as some of his more liberal colleagues grow increasingly frustrated with the senator over health care reform.
In an apparent warning to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), some liberal Democrats have suggested a secret-ballot vote every two years on whether or not to strip committee chairmen of their gavels.
Baucus, who is more conservative than most of the Democratic Conference, has frustrated many of his liberal colleagues by negotiating for weeks with Republicans over healthcare reform without producing a bill or even much detail about the policies he is considering.