"Saxbe Fix" for Clinton passes Congress

The bill removes a Constitutional roadblock that would prevent Hillary Clinton from becoming secretary of State.

Published December 11, 2008 9:20PM (EST)

Hillary Clinton may get to be secretary of State after all.

Congress has passed, without objection, what's known as the "Saxbe Fix," a workaround intended to make her eligible for the post despite a provision in the Constitution saying no one who was in Congress when the salary of a given government job was increased can go on to take that job. If confirmed, Clinton will make $186,600 a year, as compared to Condoleezza Rice's current salary of $191,300.

This isn't the first time Congress has done something like this for a president's nominee. But one conservative legal group still objects. Judicial Watch, which consistently opposed Bill Clinton's administration, has said it's considering a lawsuit to test the fix.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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