Landrieu blocks Obama OMB pick

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) delivered a blow to the White House Thursday, announcing she will block the nomination of Office of Management and Budget director Jack Lew until the Obama administration lifts its deepwater drilling moratorium.

Landrieu — one of the most vocal opponents of a moratorium she says is debilitating to Louisiana's economy — sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) informing him of her decision.


"I cannot support further action on Mr. Lew’s nomination to be a key economic advisor to the president until I am convinced that the president and his administration understand the detrimental impacts that the actual and de facto moratoria continue to have on the Gulf Coast," Landrieu wrote.

“Although Mr. Lew clearly possesses the expertise necessary to serve as one of the President’s most important economic advisors, I found that he lacked sufficient concern for the host of economic challenges confronting the Gulf Coast,” Landrieu said. “The fact that the most acute of these economic challenges, the moratorium, results from a direct (and reversible) federal action only serves to harden my stance on Mr. Lew’s nomination."

The Obama administration's six-month ban on drilling, enacted in the wake of a massive Gulf oil spill, has been effective since May 27 despite being struck down by a federal court earlier in the summer.

The White House quickly called for Landrieu to back down. If she holds out another week, the Senate could head into a month-long recess without confirming Lew.

“Jack Lew has received overwhelming, bipartisan support from Senators across the spectrum in both committees,” said Kenneth Baer, an OMB spokesman. “Especially during this critical time in our economy and in our fiscal situation, the Senate should move quickly to vote on his confirmation before it recesses at the end of the month.”

In her statement, Landrieu cited a July Department of Interior report that estimated 9,000 jobs would be lost as a direct result of the moratorium, with nearly 14,000 being lost indirectly.

“I find it stunning that the administration was aware that their actions might eliminate nearly 23,000 jobs in an already faltering economy, and proceeded anyway,” Landrieu said.