Sources: Boehner aims for GOP chiefs

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, is moving to oust two opponents from committee leadership posts, Republican Party sources say.

Boehner has arranged for "no confidence" votes on Reps. Spencer Bachus of Alabama and Don Young of Alaska to remove them from their posts as the top Republicans on the Financial Services and Natural Resources committees, respectively, unnamed sources told the Washington publication Politico Wednesday.

The votes are to be taken by the Republican Steering Committee, which makes recommendations on committee assignments to the full GOP Conference, the publication said, with the moves perhaps coming as soon as Wednesday.

GOP insiders told Politico Boehner is settling scores from the last Congressional session, when Bachus was criticized for his involvement in early negotiations over the $700 billion Wall Street bailout package in late September, and was replaced at the negotiating table by Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

Young has allegedly incurred Boehner's wrath by being caught up in the same ethics investigation that snared former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. Young has denied any wrongdoing, but GOP sources said Boehner wants to remove him from the spotlight.