Posted on 02/28/2020 4:01:30 PM PST by jazusamo
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) quickly called on Republicans to oppose GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe's nomination to be the next director of national intelligence after Trump announced the decision on Friday.
With this nomination, President Trump has shown once again his lack of respect for the rule of law and the intelligence community. Republicans must join Democrats in swiftly rejecting the nomination of Mr. Ratcliffe," Schumer said in a statement.
Trump announced via tweet that he had picked Ratcliffe, viewed as a stalwart loyalist to the president, for the top intelligence community position. Trump had previously nominated the Texas lawmaker last year but pulled the nomination amid opposition from GOP senators and reports that he had padded his resume.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, argued that nothing had changed since Trump last yanked Ratcliffe's nomination to address those concerns.
The last time this nomination was unsuccessfully put forward, serious bipartisan questions were raised about Rep. Ratcliffes background and qualifications. Its hard for me to see how anything new has happened to change that," he said.
Democrats can't block Ratcliffe's nomination on their own. Trump will only need a simple majority to get him confirmed, and Republicans control 53 seats.
That will put an immediate spotlight on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the Intelligence Committee, as well as other potential swing votes like Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Democrats would need four Republican votes to block Ratcliffe's nomination on the Senate floor.
Trump has lacked a Senate-confirmed director of national intelligence since last year, when Dan Coats, a former senator, stepped down.
Since then hes had two acting DNIsJoseph Maguire and, now, Richard Grenell, who is also serving as the U.S. ambassador to Germany.
Trumps decision to push forward with Ratcliffe comes as hes shook up the intelligence community in the wake of Senate Republicans acquitting him of two articles of impeachment, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Schumer added that by taping Ratcliffe Trump was replacing one highly partisan operative with another, a reference to Grenell, who has garnered steep criticism from Democrats.
At a time when the Russians are interfering in our elections, we need a nonpartisan leader at the helm of the Intelligence Community who sees the world objectively and speaks truth to power, and unfortunately neither Acting Director Grenell nor Rep. Ratcliffe comes even close to that, Schumer added.
Expect unanimous Republican support.
They are saying it’s a cinch that he won’t be confirmed and this is being done to allow Grenell to remain Acting Director.
He seems to be going a great job, might be my favorite homosexual person of all time!
That’s gonna be hard to top Milo Y and especially Paul Lynde.
Q. Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.
Q. Paul, any good sailor knows that when a man falls off a ship you yell Man overboard! What should you shout if a woman falls overboard?
A. Paul Lynde: Full speed ahead!
Q. Paul, what is a good reason for pounding meat?
A. Paul Lynde: Loneliness!
Hahaha
As for Milo, I don’t know, Grennell is actually doing important work.
That reminds me, for some reason, I saw former Congressman Bob Ney talking to commie Cenk Uyger singing Bernie’s praises and saying he would vote for him in November. POS little traitor.
I can’t imagine Trump would renominate him unless he knew he now has sufficient support in Mitch’s Senate.
from “demand” to “urging” now we are getting somewhere. We need the house back so we can literally put them in the basement where shitt had his impeachment committee meetings and close the door
If Mitch wants Racliffe confirmed he will get confirmed. Trump has either threatened Mitch or cut a deal with him.
“”hes”” - of course, I meant “he’d” stop......
He might be onto that trick, and is actually only pretending to hate him so he’ll be chosen.
At a time when the Russians are interfering in our elections”
Those Russians are good...we no they are interfering with our elections..but they never get caught.
we know that is.
Ney had his voting rights restored ? He is a convicted felon.
That’s true, too.
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