Former Rep. Barney Frank Wants to Temporarily Fill John Kerry's Senate Seat

The Massachusetts Democrat seeks return to Washington to participate in budget battles ahead

Former longtime U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said he wants to temporarily fill the Senate seat expected to be left open after John Kerry is confirmed as Secretary of State.

The Massachusetts Democrat, who just concluded 32 years in the House, made the request to Gov. Deval Patrick (D) for an interim appointment. He said he would only want the seat until the special election is held a few months later. The governor's reaction? "Noncommittal," Frank said.

Frank said he hopes to return to Washington to participate in the upcoming decisions on government spending cuts and raising the national debt now that the fiscal cliff tax deal has cleared Congress.

"A few weeks ago, in fact, I said I wasn't interested, which is kind of like you're about to graduate, and they said, 'You've got to go to summer school,'" Frank said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "That deal now means that February, March and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial [history]."

Frank, 72, former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and the first openly gay member of Congress, helped design a sweeping financial regulatory overhaul in 2010.

Via MSNBC and Talking Points Memo

Would you like to see Frank appointed as interim senator?

[MarkJM]

Yes and No. Bawney Fwank was a joke in the House so I would say Yes to probably get a good laugh or two. I would say No because of his dismal record. But Deval Patrick will probably appoint him anyways.

[PNWest]

Barney Frank is an extremely intelligent man and knows more about the economic issues facing the country than just about anyone. He would be a very good choice. An added advantage is that he really pisses of the righites and it would give them something to be outraged about now that the War on Christmas is over.

[Pappaslack]

Of course he knows about the issues. He is responsible for most of them.

[PNWest]

@Pappaslack That's just more BS from the right. Why don't you attempt to tell me what he has done that caused the problems and I'll give you the truth about what really happened.

[Pappaslack]

@PNWest
Let's start with his fighting any reform of Freddie and Fannie. You remember these entities, right? The ones that caused the housing collapse. The ones that GWB repeatedly tried to reform.

[PNWest]

@Pappaslack GW Moron had Tom Delay and a GOP congress to override anything that Barney Frank could have done. He did not have the power to cause the housing collapse. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/... Had GW Bush wanted to reform Freddie and Fannie he had the majorities to do so. He did not.

[Barack_Blocker]

@PNWest FYI - Links to left-wing blogs don't count as "truth". You'll have to try again.

[jessejaymes]

Barney Frank should be in prison. Sex parties with underage teen boys took place in his Washington Apartment took place and he got off by simply saying "I didn't know anything about it". The police bust the exact same thing at YOUR residence and let's see how much time YOU do. Barney Frank is a pervert. NO.

[ConserveUSA]

Yep, I heard the same about him.

[harold_lloyd]

He already knows how the game is played, and that's good. But I wonder if he is willing to make real cuts in spending to go along with the higher taxes we need if we're going to do anything realistic about the debt.

[Realthinker]

Spending cuts? From a man who is begging to be allowed to double dip? He would draw his retirement from Congress with all of it's perks while drawing the same perks as a Senator, correct? Would the Democrats stay silent while a Republican did this? Of course not.

[DARSB]

Barney annoys so many of the right people...

[methinks]

Didn't mean to vote you up. He annoys people on the right because he was dead wrong on Fannie and Freddie! http://www.youtube.com/watch...

He said they weren't in crisis! That's like standing outside of London in 1666 and saying Londontown isn't on fire!

[DARSB]

@methinks When I wrote "the right people" I didn't mean "people on the right"

[bsking]

Of course why wouldn't he want to get back in? the only reason he retired begin with because he thought Obama would lose. man this is his dream get in there with an open checkbook? think of the things he can jam down someone's throat .

[mimi57]

I don't want to think about it.... Yuk

[DARSB]

You can believe what you like (and you will. :-) ) but Rep Frank's public statements about his retirement referred to his age, his decades in the House, and the gerrymandering of his district. I do not recall any Democrat publicly predicting an Obama defeat, and certainly not Rep Frank.

[bsking]

@DARSB don't be ridiculous there's no Democratic has the nerve to publicly say that. but if any of what you said were true he wouldn't be coming back would he? I mean other than the redistricting he still is as old as he was with all those productive years of good service ..lol.

[bsking]

@mimi57 you know you would be a no danger

[Denizen_Kate]

"think of the things he can jam down someone's throat " Thanks. It's going to take me all day and probably into tomorrow to delete that mental image. Eew.

[Sharpshooter]

So many Pages.... so few turns..... Does he have to register in DC if he moves there?

[Dan_Tien]

Barney Frank did not seek re-election, now he wants an appointment? Some say that he didn't seek re-election because he knew he couldn't win. He said that he "had a 'busy and stressful' four years dealing with financial reform after the recession." Does that mean that he helped to create the "fiscal cliff" with all of that effort?

[jessejaymes]

That's exactly what it means.

[Barack_Blocker]

"Former longtime U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said he wants to temporarily fill the Senate seat expected to be left open..."

Freudian slip, politix? Heh heh heh, I could make so many jokes with this statement, but I guess I'll be the bigger man this time and not...

[Ungaree]

Best comment I read was short and simple. Quote Barney said "Put me in Coach"

[vws]

Haven't we seen enough of this clown?

[Bobolinsky]

He probably sat down with his attorneys and accountants and figured out how much more his pension would be if he tacked a little time as a Senator on top of his time as a Rep.

[Denizen_Kate]

That's it exactly. Thanks for stating it.

[Newheart200]

Yes because I get a good laugh watching clowns.

[Barack_Blocker]

Lol, Elmer Fudd wants to go wabbit hunting again.

[VeryLameduck]

Go home Barney.

[Romney2012]

This man is a disgrace, and an Anti-American one at that. Scott Brown deserves that temporary seat more, and he should be in the special election as well. Why would we appoint a former representative? Just ask Scott Brown. He has the experience, and is a former senator himself. My state should have better than this slob!

[cwi530]

Can you believe the stupidity shown here. "Barney's the best", Barney didn't have anything to do with Freedie's fanny". And of course the typical party before country liberals, "I like Barney because the GOP hates him". Yep. That's what really matters.

As far as the pervert party's you have to remember that Barney's a Dem and that's just progressive behavior.

[twinertia]

Sorry, Barney; you've bowed out of the picture, now stay out of it.

[Denizen_Kate]

No, Barney should stay retired. We need new faces and fresh ideas in the Senate and the House.

[Keyjo]

It's a temporary appointment. What is it until the special election, like 4 months ?
While I agree with "fresh blood," these freshmen will pretty much stumble over themselves and be manipulated for the better part of a year

[Keyjo]

Yes, I think he should.