Chenoweth Flip-Flops On Line-Item Veto

After embracing the Republican “Contract with America” during her 1994 campaign, Idaho Congressman Helen Chenoweth on Thursday again denounced the contract’s line-item veto provision and then turned around and voted for it.

“I must vote against this measure today because I simply cannot support what would be a monumental mistake that would be made by this Congress if we hand over legislative powers to the president in the form of a Line Item Veto,” Chenoweth said in a statement sent to Idaho media.

But less than an hour later, Chenoweth was among 232 House members who supported the line item veto in the key vote that immediately sent the House-Senate compromise on that issue to President Clinton.