Leave it to politicians to only use procedure when it works for them.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate are rushing ahead with confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for key positions, regardless of procedures they put into place years ago.
Even thought most of the nominees haven’t completed the customarily required ethics clearances and background checks, Senate Majority Whip John Coryn (R-TX) says that “We’re going to just be plowing ahead.”
However, in 2009, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) demanded, via a letter to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Read, that no nominee can even have a confirmation hearing scheduled until their financial disclosures were complete. The letter also mentions that it is the Republicans duty to “conduct the appropriate review … regardless of which party is in the majority.”
The letter was posted on Twitter this week by Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington co-founder Norm Eisen:
Mitch McConnell to Reid in 2009: nominee “financial disclosures must be complete… prior 2hearing being scheduled.” pic.twitter.com/wxCfXTPS6g
— Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) January 8, 2017
Apparently insisting on “fair and consistent application” doesn’t apply in this situation.
McConnell seems to have a problem with staying “fair and consistent.” After leading the charge for Republicans delaying the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee for almost a year, McConnell said this week that “the American people simply will not tolerate” Democrats if they fail to confirm Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
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