Danger lurks for both sides in digging in
WASHINGTON — Democrats appear to be on a futile mission to try to deny confirmation to President Trump’s Cabinet picks. But Republicans could be on a dangerous mission of their own with their nearly united front in support of them.
Early signs that GOP senators would show some independence in vetting the president’s nominees — including flags raised by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) about Rex Tillerson’s conflicts of interest and views on torture and war crimes — quickly faded in the wind. The oil tycoon all got their votes.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell helped save the confirmation of newly minted Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose qualifications received bipartisan opposition. Despite concerns raised about DeVos’s lack of experience in public education and poor familiarity with the federal laws she’ll be tasked with enforcing — which cost her the votes of Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) — McConnell worked to ensure the other 49 GOP senators joined him to confirm her with Vice President Mike Pence’s historic tie-breaking vote.
Nevermind the nonstop flurry of calls Americans have made to lawmakers in recent weeks to protest DeVos and other Trump nominees. McConnell blamed the Democrats.
“It’s really time for our friends on the other side to get over the election,” McConnell said of Democrats’ all-night Senate floor protest to try to secure one more vote against DeVos. Trump himself chimed in last night, via Twitter: “It is a disgrace that my full Cabinet is still not in place, the longest such delay in the history of our country. Obstruction by Democrats!”
But it’s time for McConnell to start thinking about the next election. His and other lawmakers’ unfettered support for nominees like Trump’s Labor Secretary pick Andy Puzder is a problem that could bite them later.
Puzder’s confirmation hearings have already been repeatedly delayed due to a growing cloud of controversy caused by his employment of an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper, claims of labor violations as CEO of CKE Restaurants and an accusation of domestic violence made by his exwife.
Past Cabinet nominees have been sunk for less. But Trump is sticking by Puzder, and that’s good enough for McConnell.
“The administration strongly supports Andy Puzder and wants to stick with him,” McConnell told reporters yesterday. “Let me just say for myself I think Andy Puzder is an outstanding choice. I’m enthusiastically in support of him.”
Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) — decrying a host of Trump picks, including Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch — sees the unity his Republicans counterparts are showing in a different light.
“Party loyalty demands something, but not this much,” Schumer told reporters yesterday.
Come 2018, voters may agree.