Posted on 02/07/2017 3:42:41 PM PST by jazusamo
WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that even though Democrats don't have the votes to stop President Trump's cabinet nominees, their strategy is working by being able to highlight how bad they are.
"When you get millions of calls and demonstrations and a nominee is exposed for being who they are, it's going to have a profound and positive effect, even if she gains office," Schumer said on Capitol Hill today after the confirmation of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on a tiebreaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence. "So we're very happy with the results and we're going to continue them.
"We're going to have long debates on Sessions and we're going to have debates on Price," he added of the nominees for attorney general and secretary of Health and Human Services.
Schumer argued that the nominees "are so far afield from what President-elect Trump promised, from what candidate Trump promised and even President Trump promised -- defend the average person, don't side with the big interests on Wall Street -- that we think that they demand a full, full vetting."
That vetting, the senator opined, is "greatly weakening President Trump's ability with the American people because he's not doing what he promised."
Asked if Dems plan on running out the debate clock on all remaining nominees, as they did with the all-night debate before the DeVos vote, Schumer replied, "Stay tuned."
At his own press availability outside a closed policy luncheon on the Hill, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said getting through Trump's cabinet nominees is "taking longer than it should, but we'll get through all of them sooner rather than later."
"We've done a little research and we found that this is the slowest time for a new Cabinet to be up and running since George Washington. This level of obstruction at the beginning of an administration is really record-setting in a very unfortunate way," McConnell said. "It's really time for our friends on the other side to get over the election, let this administration get up and get running."
Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) in particular decried the drag on Sen. Jeff Sessions' (R-Ala.) attorney general nomination.
The Senate voted 52-47 today to advance to debate on Sessions' nomination, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) crossing the aisle to support the motion. A vote on the nomination is expected this week, and Dems were expected to pull another all-nighter tonight.
"What I find particularly egregious is the fact that Democrats have slowed down and slow-walked and obstructed the nomination -- confirmation of one of the president's national security cabinet members, and that would be Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general," Cornyn said.
"They know how this story ends," the senator added. "They know we're going to be successful. So stunts like staying up all night and making speeches, I'm not sure who they're trying to impress other than their dysfunctional base by stopping and slowing down these confirmations which will be successful eventually."
Schumer also met today with Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch -- "a very smart, polite and capable man who loves being an judge" -- and told reporters his confirmation process would be shaped by "a perilous time in the relationship between the executive and judicial branches."
"On the campaign trail and from inside the White House, President Trump has shown a deep contempt for an independent judiciary that doesn't always bow before him," the Dem leader said.
"...The Senate has been hoodwinked before. Justice Roberts promised to call the balls and strikes, but he has used his perch on the bench to rewrite the law and bend the court in the direction of special interests. In many cases -- most egregiously, Citizens United. Fool us once, shame on the nominee. Fool us twice, shame on the Senate."
Chuckie the Schmuck is a liar. They're exactly what President Trump promised as well as "draining the swamp" and Chuckie has a huge problem with that.
Nuclear option...nuke them from orbit.
Feline nickname.
Chuck...
IF YOU HAVE any serious charge against any of the nominees, please DO state it, share it with the American people... if DJT does nominate a bad apple, you have every right and duty to question it
otherwise, stop making an assh*ole out of yourself by delaying and holding things up...we can’t afford this bad circus act
thanks
Actually Chuck, it exposes what kooks and hacks that democrats are.
“That vetting, the senator opined, is ‘greatly weakening President Trump’s ability with the American people because he’s not doing what he promised.’”
President Trump is doing exactly what he promised, you leftscum puke. /ref to Schumer, not you jazusamo
No one is impressed by this little cadre of professional agitators. The dimocrats are really over-doing it with Trump’s nominations so that the rest of the country will have “outrage fatigue” by the time the real meat of the agenda comes up, such as the 2nd and 3rd SCOTUS picks and the actual wall details.
Senators in the GOP have left it be known they cannot Trust Chuck Shumer
Just keep telling yourself that lie. Schumer. Meanwhile, Trump gets his people into positions of authority.
Chuck Shumer is a slimy “POLITICAL HACK” and is the best possible example of a sleazey big city politician.
Schumer is just putting lipstick on the pig.
Nailed it.
Never again.
Never ever ever again should they even pretend to cordial with the dems.
Poor chuckie...Play the tears card again....
Not only are democrats obstructing and slowing Trump’s picks for cabinet and SC, they are also slowing down and crippling the rebuilding of our economy and jobless problems...Along with endangering American lives with this stupid stay on the immigration ban...
The populace that aren’t rioters and protesters need to look at everything these democrat elites are hurting...
Yep, many voters are getting tired of these Dem charades including some Dem voters.
This approach clearly exposes Schumer for the schmuck he is.
and exposed who the obstructionists are...
No Schumer, what your actions expose is that you are unethical hypocrites that are not mature and adult enough to accept that you lost. Your Leftist ideology is more important than the nation. And as far as the calls and demonstrations, who is paying for that.
If the Republicans go nuclear, they had best fight like hell to get the things they SAY they want done, because if they lose the Senate and House, they will NEVER get it back again. This IS their last chance to save America. Cleaning up the voter registration roles and having a National Voter ID to vote should be one of their first acts.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.