The Senate readies for a nominee siege

Democrats let Secretary of State Marco Rubio blitz to Senate confirmation Monday. Now it’s time for trench warfare.

With Donald Trump’s nominees slowly emerging from Senate committees, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are preparing for a weekslong slog as Democrats force Republicans to work through procedural obstacles to fill out the new president’s Cabinet.

The warring began on the floor Tuesday, with Democrats objecting to a quick vote on CIA director pick John Ratcliffe, who had been expected to get a relatively smooth bipartisan confirmation. Even more controversial nominees await, with cooperation likely hard to come by.

Accelerating any confirmation requires unanimous agreement from senators, and after letting Rubio through, Democrats are not eager to ease the way for many other Trump picks.

“I don't think the Democrats are in any hurry,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said in an interview. “So I think we're just gonna have to grind through, and maybe you're here for some late nights and weekends for the next few weeks.”

Topping the list of more troublesome nominees is Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon pick who has weathered allegations ranging from sexual misconduct to financial mismanagement. But Republicans appear arrayed behind Hegseth, who has denied the allegations, and they are ready to undertake what could be a four-day process to get him confirmed.

Russell Vought, Trump’s pick for White House budget director, is also bitterly divisive, emerging from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Monday on a party line vote. Homeland Security secretary nominee Kristi Noem could also be subject to an extended confirmation timeline, despite winning some Democratic support in committee.

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS secretary and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence are still awaiting committee action but are expected to spark major fights should they come to the floor.

“Democrats have been very clear about our approach to President Trump’s nominees,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Monday. “We will neither rubber-stamp nominees we feel are grossly unqualified nor oppose nominees that deserve serious consideration.”

Rubio, he said, fell in the latter category, “a qualified nominee we think should be confirmed quickly.”

For most Trump nominees, the outcome is not in question. Republicans can confirm any of them so long as they stick together, but to do so without eating up days of time they need help from Democrats. Any one senator can object to a deal speeding confirmation votes.

Already Republicans are using the threat of Friday votes and even rarer weekend sessions to issue a warning to Democrats: Play ball and ease the path for Trump’s picks or don’t, you’re only inconveniencing yourselves.

Thune made that clear Tuesday after Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) forced a two-day wait on Ratcliffe. "This can be easy," he said, "or this can be hard.”

He then teed up Hegseth’s Defense nomination for a vote following Ratcliffe's, likely culminating on Friday. Republicans are confident of his confirmation even though a few in the GOP ranks haven’t yet said if they will support him.

By the end of the week, Republicans will have more nominees ready for floor action: Committees are set to vote on former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) to be Transportation secretary, Lee Zeldin to be EPA administrator and Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary, among others

To get cooperation from Democrats to speed things up, some GOP senators have been making direct appeals. Cornyn said he used the traditional post-inauguration luncheon in Statuary Hall to lean on Schumer, his sometime gym buddy, to relent on some of Trump’s “uncontroversial” nominations but said he didn’t seem to be in a “big hurry.”

Thune acknowledged Monday that confirming Trump’s picks won’t be instantaneous, calling it their “priority here in the Senate for the next few weeks.”

Some of Trump’s more controversial picks have already been subject to delays due to missing background checks and disclosures. Two of Trump’s most controversial picks — Kennedy and Gabbard — haven’t yet had their hearings scheduled.

“Pete’s going to be fine. Marco’s a slam dunk. There are a few left that it depends on how they do,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) before adding of Gabbard: “Let’s see how she does. I’m inclined to vote for everybody, but you’ve got to get through the system.”

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