Senate To Confirm 97 More Trump Nominees After Democrat Blockade Fails
Republicans will confirm a bloc of eight dozen Trump nominees as early as next week following an attempted blockade by Senate Democrats.
Republican leaders planned Thursday to begin the procedural process to confirm 88 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a block vote, but were initially thwarted by Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who challenged the package for violating Senate rules. When Republicans filed again later Thursday, the conference included nine additional candidates, bringing the total to nearly 100. (RELATED: Democrats torpedo bipartisan talks with take-it-or-leave-it Obamacare plan)
Democrats blocked the group package because Sara Bailey — one of President Donald Trump’s nominees included in the package — was ineligible.
When Republicans went nuclear in September to streamline the confirmation process over Democrats’ fierce objections, the conference did not allow cabinet posts or judicial appointments to be confirmed as part of a group package.
Bailey, a former Fox News contributor, was tapped to serve as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a high-level position comparable to that of a cabinet secretary.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune claimed Democrats’ delaying tactics amounted to “Trump derangement syndrome” during his remarks on the Senate floor Thursday.
“Democrats – and their base – still cannot accept the fact that President Trump won last November,” Thune said on the Senate floor. “And that’s why they withheld each – every – of his nominations for revenge.” »
The new group includes former New York Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who was named inspector general of the Department of Labor. Thirteen U.S. attorney nominees and dozens of lower-level executive branch nominees are also expected for confirmation.
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 24: Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) ignores reporters as he leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
The Senate confirmed 314 civilian nominees as of Thursday evening, according to a tally from the Senate Republican Communications Center.
The 97-member bloc would bring the Senate to more than 410 civilian confirmations in the first year of Trump’s second term.
“This far exceeds the total confirmations at this point in President Biden’s term, as well as President Trump’s first term,” Thune said Thursday.
Thune also said Senate Republicans have virtually cleared the backlog of nominations. Before Republicans changed Senate precedent to allow certain nominees to be confirmed in groups, more than 150 of the president’s picks were awaiting review.
The Senate approved a package of 48-member nominations in September and another 108 of the president’s picks in a single group vote in October.
Bennet celebrated his brief blocking of Trump’s nominees on Thursday before Republicans added more to the resolution.
“I will not allow unqualified candidates for the White House or President to undermine the rule of law and our national security,” Bennet wrote in a statement posted on social media.
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