Rand Paul seeks no-confidence vote on Treasury secretary

Sen. Rand Paul is calling for a vote of no confidence in Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner.

The “tea party” champion on Wednesday introduced a resolution declaring that Congress and the American people have lost confidence in Geithner. Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, cited the Treasury secretary’s handling of the economy, the rising national debt and the Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the nation’s credit rating.

Paul’s resolution is an unusual and largely symbolic move. Unlike a similar vote in parliamentary systems, such a vote would not remove Geithner, but only express dissatisfaction with his job performance.

“The current administration’s gross mismanagement of the U.S. economy, at the helm of which has sat Secretary Geithner through financial debacle and decline, must end now,” Paul said.

The resolution is unlikely to come up for a vote in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats. It was not clear whether Paul, who is known as something of a Republican renegade, had support from GOP leaders in the effort.

Democrats tried a similar move in 2007 after then-Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales admitted to misstating his role in the federal attorneys firing scandal. Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to end debate on the measure.