Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, blasted the 42-13 vote this morning that allowed Joe Lieberman to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, despite campaigning for John McCain in 2008 and participating in the smearing of President-elect Barack Obama.



“I spoke against the Lieberman motion and voted against it," said Sanders, who had made his feelings on the issue known before today's vote. "For me, the bottom line is that millions of Americans, with unprecedented energy, worked day and night to get Barack Obama elected and to move our country in a very new direction."



"I think it’s a slap in the face to these activists that someone who opposed those efforts in a very prominent way is awarded with a major committee."



And, of course, Sanders is exactly right. Stripping Lieberman of such a key committee chairmanship is the least Democrats should have done and many of us believe he should have been flat-out booted from the caucus entirely.



But at least we know we had Sanders and 12 unknown Democrats -- the vote was a secret ballot -- who had the guts to stand up and be counted on Lieberman and his despicable actions.