Report: Tug of war over Heller office

When Sen. Dean Heller was appointed to the U.S. Senate in May 2011, he inherited a primo office suite on the third floor of the Russell Building across from the U.S. Capitol.

Previously occupied by the departed Nevada Sen John Ensign, It was not an office where one would normally find a freshman senator. Heller's spacious personal office within its half dozen or so rooms features a wall of inlaid bookcases, a fireplace, a personal changing room and plenty of other wall space where the Nevadan has hung portraits of his family and the trophy head of a bull elk he once shot in Lincoln County.

At one time it was the office of now-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. In the 1950s, it was the Senate office of Richard Nixon when he represented California.

Heller knew at some point he would be "bumped" out of the office by a more senior senator during the office lottery that takes place early in each session. But the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reports on the front page this morning the transition is proving thorny.

Several senators, through their offices, have lodged complaints with the Senate Rules and Administration Committee that Heller's staff is making it difficult for them to inspect the space for a possible claim, the news organization said.

"Though special courtesies are usually extended to aides and members visiting offices, Heller staffers repeatedly tried to keep them from seeing the spacious member office, saying meetings were ongoing and could not be interrupted," Roll Call said citing unnamed sources.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., reportedly spoke to Heller personally after a conversation between his staff and Heller's chief of staff Mac Abrams.

Citing sources, Roll Call said Abrams offered $10,000 in campaign contributions from Heller's political action committee if Chambliss took a pass on the office. The conversation reportedly took place before Chambliss announced he was going to retire and not run for re-election next year.

Others disputed there was a dollar figure mentioned, and Heller's staff insisted the remark itself was a joke made during what was thought to be a genial and friendly conversation.

Roll Call said at least one other Senate office confirmed difficulty seeing the Heller space. It also quoted a spokesperson for Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. saying his staff took a tour with "no problems whatsoever."

"This is beyond silly," Roll Call quoted Heller spokeswoman Chandler Smith. "We're disappointed that this has become fodder for pettiness among staff members.

"Our office has worked hard to balance the busy and demanding work of running a Senate office, hosting meetings and greeting constituents while accommodating members and numerous staffers from nearly 20 offices who want to see the space.”