Bunning Unblocks The Plate, Finds Different Ballfield, Blocks Another Plate

TPM is reporting that Harry Reid's office has confirmed on top of everything else Jim Bunning has done in the last five days, he has also put a blanket hold on every single one of Obama's remaining nominees.

That's right.  Bunning's pulling a Shelby Shakedown!

"It turns out that not only has he been blocking the unemployment insurance bill, he has also been blocking the confirmation of nominees since last week as well," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

Bunning's spokesman tells TPMDC that he doesn't know about the holds.

"I don't know that. Right now the senator's number one priority is reaching an agreement to get this bill paid for and passed," said the spokesman, Mike Reynard. 

I have to admit, if you're going to go down in flames like this as a retiring Senator, make sure you use enough accelerant.   Still, it looks like Bunning's finally relented on the unemployment package.

Bunning agreed to stop blocking legislation to extend benefits and COBRA health plan subsidies to the unemployed after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) agreed to allow him a vote on an amendment to pay for the $10 billion bill. 

It’s the same deal Bunning was offered last week, but Bunning at the time decided to continue his fight. He’d been holding up an extension of the benefits since Thursday. 

The Senate was scheduled to vote on the 30-day extension after The Hill’s press time.

Bunning will also get to offer two amendments to a one-year extension of the legislation the Senate is considering. 

More on this later.  And yes, the Shelby Shakedown remains in effect. Oh, and 200K+ Americans won't get unemployment checks this week, and it may take a month or more to get those checks restored.  Nice guy.