Democrats are using bogus stall tactics to try and slow walk President-elect Trump’s top cabinet nominees through the confirmation process, but Republican Senators aren’t falling for it.
The Energy and Natural Resources Committee is set to begin hearings on Wednesday for Trump’s energy secretary nominee, Chris Wright of Colorado.
But the panel’s leading Democrat is stirring up complaints among the Beltway media that Wright and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum haven’t yet submitted all the required paperwork.
And yet all that bureaucratic work isn’t even due until after Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20.
According to the Center for Presidential Transition, the Senate commonly holds confirmation hearings for cabinet secretaries and other key appointees prior to Inauguration Day.
According to the Center:
“This custom ensures top Cabinet officials are approved and ready to govern immediately, or shortly after, a new president takes the oath of office. During the last 28 years, the Senate has held pre-inaugural hearings for almost all of a new president’s Cabinet secretary nominees.”
Both Energy and Interior are such key cabinet posts.
So, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico can pound his chest all he wants and threaten to withhold his consent until all those papers are properly shuffled by the Government Ethics office before being turned over to the Senate.
Committee Chairman Mike Lee of Utah told the Democrat to get over himself and that hearings will proceed as he has scheduled.
In a written statement shared with The Hill, the chairman said that his committee “in full compliance with its rules and precedents, has officially noticed a confirmation hearing.”
He said that Republicans are focused on “lowering costs, unleashing American energy, and putting families first” and accused Democrats of wanting to “play politics.”
That’s what we should come to expect now from Democrats is to stall and make trouble, instead of putting the energy needs of our country first just because they hold a grudge against Trump.
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, who is a member of this committee, didn’t even bother to step up for the Colorado nominee.
Stay tuned.