Loss of chairmanship means loss of $$$

He's not exactly hurting for dough -- although he's so tight he'd never use his own money to run for office -- but Jim Sensenbrenner's fund-raising has shown some slippage.

It seems that the special interests, who give through political action committees, aren't as interested in giving when you're the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee. When you're raising money, "chairman" has a nicer ring -- and much more ka-ching.

Sensenbrenner's PAC money is down 62% from the comparable period two years ago.

The Journal Sentinel's Dan Bice has the details.

UPDATE: We're told he's not even the ranking R. That’s Rep. Lamar Smith. Sensenbrenner’s only leadership post is as ranking member of the Global Warming Committee.

Spirit of Sensenbrenner lives on in new Senate immigration bill

a “regressive, anti-due process, enforcement proposal that would criminalize 12 million hard-working men and women in one fell swoop.”

That's how the American Immigrant Lawyers Assn. characterizes a new endorcement-only immigration bill introduced in the US Senate.

It's described as very similar to a House-passed bill from last spring, which prompted huge demonstrations across the country. That bill, lest we forget, was known as the Sensenbrenner Bill, in "honor" of its chief sponsor.

Sensenbrenner at least has been consistently wrong. Most disappointing about the Senate bill is that three Repubs who previously supported a reasonable compromise bill -- including won't-be-president John McCain -- now are pandering to the right as sponsors of the new bill.

The Austin American-Statesman has more on its immigration blog.