Boehner: Stark gets 'condolences' for short chairmanship

Top-ranking House Republican John Boehner (Ohio) weighed in on the Stark-Levin succession confusion at a press conference on Thursday.

“We’re certainly glad that we figured out who the chairman really will be after what happened yesterday. I guess I have to send my condolences to Pete Stark for being the shortest chairman in the history of the Ways and Means Committee," Boehner said. "But I expect that Mr. Levin will do fine."

Republicans spent Wednesday salivating at the unlikely reality that Pete Stark (D-Calif.), the lawmaker remembered for provoking a near fistfight with former GOP lawmakers in a Ways and Means hearing several years ago, would become chairman of the powerful committee.

Even Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), who pressed for a vote on a resolution to temporarily oust Rangel pending the ethics investigation, was concerned should Stark be removed or have to step aside.

“I don’t know where Charlie falls when he steps out of the leadership because he may be the No. 2 guy, because if Stark goes out, he may return to the chairmanship, I don’t know that,” Carter said.

With the more consistent Levin sitting atop the tax-writing panel, it appears those worries are allayed.

On the whole, however, Boehner called Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s handling of the situation “disappointing.”

“It’s disappointing that the Speaker allowed the situation to go on for as long as she did,” Boehner noted.

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