The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tom Price isn’t the only Cabinet nominee likely to face a grilling by Senate Democrats,

Leaders will focus on Tillerson, Pruitt, Sessions,Pudzer.

- By Tamar Hallerman tamar.hallerman@ajc.com

U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Roswell, won’t be President-elect Donald Trump’s only Cabinet pick to be grilled by Senate Democrats for his financial, political and business dealings.

Democrats on their own don’t have the votes to sink any of Trump’s nominees, who collective­ly have an estimated net worth of at least $13.1 billion, according to the Boston Globe. That’s because of a divisive change to filibuster rules that then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., made in 2013.

Democratic Party leaders have indicated they’ll concentrat­e on several Trump picks in particular, subjecting them to tough questionin­g during their confirmati­on hearings that Democrats hope will build up public pressure against their nomination­s.

Democrats are honing in on:

■Rex Tillerson — Trump’s pick for secretary of state has been scrutinize­d for his business ties to Russia as CEO of oil giant Exxon Mobil. Democrats have also promised to double down on his personal financial informatio­n after Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Tillerson will not need to release his tax returns as part of the confirmati­on process.

Jeff Sessions — Even though Trump’s nominee for attorney general is a colleague, Senate Democrats are unhappy with Sessions’ past statements on civil rights, immigratio­n and marijuana. They’ve brought up his record as an Alabama prosecutor and the Senate’s rejection of him for a federal judgeship back in the 1980s due to past remarks deemed racially charged.

Andrew Pudzer — Democrats are particular­ly steamed about Trump’s Department of Labor nominee, who heads the parent company of burger chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., due to his opposition to raising the minimum wage, as well as his stance on other labor laws.

Scott Pruitt — The Oklahoma attorney general, whom Trump has tapped to lead the Environmen­tal Protection Agency, infuriates Democrats because he’s joined in on legal battles against the agency’s global warming regulation­s. He’s also disliked for rejecting the conclusion of climate scientists that humans contribute to climate change.

If all Republican­s stick together, the most Democrats can do is drag out Senate considerat­ion of the nomination­s by a few days. But they’re hoping that by holding the nominees’ feet to the fire they can drum up public pressure during the Senate’s confirmati­on hearings next month.

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