Democrats Join GOP in Attacking Obama's Czars

Conservatives have been hammering the Obama administration's "czars" -- high-level appointees who do not have to be confirmed by the Senate -- as unelected figures with too much authority. Now, several top Democrats have joined the chorus, most notably Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), who said he may hold an oversight hearing on the matter. Feingold asked the Obama administration to clearly define the roles of each czar and explain why the president feels justified in appointing them without the "advice and consent" of the Senate.
"To the extent that this undercuts that role and people are put in the place of Cabinet people and really are the key authorities and you can't question them, that's something worth talking about," Feingold said. "I think it's a fair point."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) also said the czars should be subject to better Senate oversight, though she pointed out that many confirmed administration officials have been incorrectly labeled "czars" by conservative critics. But she said their roles should be clearly defined. "I don't know what a car czar does, for example," Feinstein said.