Staff Reports
Two Senate committees found themselves scratching their heads and rescheduling hearings they had planned for Tuesday, courtesy of some last-minute delays tied to background checks and ethics paperwork. With President-elect Donald Trump’s administration about to kick off, the wheels of bureaucracy seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace when it came to confirming his Cabinet picks.
The nominees who faced this unwelcome setback were Doug Collins and Doug Burgum, both highly qualified individuals selected by Trump to head the Veterans Affairs and Interior Departments, respectively. Surprisingly, they submitted their paperwork on time. Yet, the Senate seemed to be waiting indefinitely for slow-moving federal agencies to get their acts together and deliver the necessary background vetting reports.
In case you missed it, there were 3 confirmation hearings scheduled for today but "conveniently" the paperwork or the excuse of paperwork wasn't ready for Collins or Burgum to have their confirmation hearings today which "conveniently" gives the Senate more time to att*ck… pic.twitter.com/hgrx6uTicW
— Wendy Patterson (@wendyp4545) January 14, 2025
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, was among those who had to pull the proverbial cord on Collins’ hearing, postponing it to January 21. This delay was attributed to the FBI’s sluggishness in completing the background check of the nominee, which, one would hope, wouldn’t take longer than an episode of a sitcom to wrap up. Moran expressed strong belief that the FBI would expedite its review so the committee could get on with the important task of evaluating Trump’s selections.
On a similar note, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee from Utah pushed Burgum’s confirmation hearing back to Thursday because the Office of Government Ethics was apparently too preoccupied to finish reviewing his financial disclosure and ethics agreement. This outcome sparked Lee’s frustration, as he emphasized that bureaucratic roadblocks like this are far from acceptable, calling for the OGE to proceed with more urgency. One might wonder how many times they’ve seen similar delays when nominees from the left are involved.
The timing of these delays became even more suspect when Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer attempted to use these developments to score political points. Schumer, the senior Democrat from New York, suggested that the lack of background documentation could indicate potential problems with the nominees. His outlook? If there’s anything to hide, it will surely surface in those elusive documents. This led to a pointed critique of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which had moved forward with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s hearing despite him not having his FBI background report ready for review by the entire committee.
Amidst all the drama, Hegseth found himself embroiled in a tangled web of accusations ranging from excessive drinking to sexual misconduct, accusations he has outright denied. But Schumer took the opportunity to stir the pot, hinting that with all these questions swirling around Hegseth’s past, it would be prudent for everyone involved to pause and wait for the necessary documentation before making any voting decisions. As chaos navigates the Senate chamber, one thing is clear: the age-old dance of political maneuvering is alive and well, especially when it comes to confirming Trump’s nominees.
