Dem senator says Shelby holds should spell end for earmarks

A Democratic senator on Saturday said that earmark spending should end as a result of Sen. Richard Shelby's blanket hold on President Barack Obama's pending nominees.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said that the Alabama Republican's drastic step to intended to protest a defense project that was earmarked for his district should put the nail in the coffin.

She said on her widely-followed Twitter account:

More evidence that earmarking is a very bad habit that should end: Sen Sheby [sic] blocking all Obama apptmnts for earmarks.

Shelby placed the holds on over 70 of the president's nominees on Thursday because of a dispute over a contract to build Air Force refueling tankers.

Shelby's holds mean that the Senate cannot vote on a nominee unless the hold is broken using a cloture vote that requires 60 senators or if the senator lifts the hold.

The hold raised the ire of Democrats, earmark opponents and the White House, which said that Shelby's move was "opposition for opposition's sake."

Cross-posted to the Twitter Room