‘Historic’ Obstruction On Nominations

FLASHBACK – SEN. SCHUMER: ‘Who In America Doesn't Think A President, Democrat Or Republican, Deserves His Or Her Picks For Who Should Run The Agencies? Nobody’

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “This [Democrat obstruction] is not about changing an outcome; it’s about wasting time to make it more difficult for the President to make appointments. … I urge the minority to think critically about the consequences for the Senate and our country if they allow this near-total obstruction to continue.” (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 7/11/2017)

WALL STREET JOURNAL: “Senate Democrats are abusing Senate rules to undermine the executive branch... Democrats aren’t using cloture to raise the level of debate or highlight unqualified nominees. They are using it—and have said as much—to sabotage a Presidency.” (Editorial, “Running The Schumer Blockade,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/10/17)

“Democratic obstruction against nominees is nearly total, most notably including a demand for cloture filings for every nominee—no matter how minor the position. This means a two-day waiting period and then another 30 hours of debate. The 30-hour rule means Mr. Trump might not be able to fill all of those … positions in four years.” (Editorial, “Running The Schumer Blockade,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/10/17)

At The Dems Current Glacial Pace, It Will Take More Than 11 Years To Staff The Executive Branch

2016 PLUM BOOK: Positions Subject to Presidential Appointment with Senate Confirmation (PAS) – Total: 1242 (Senate Committee On Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs, “Policy And Supporting Positions” [Or Plum Book], Pg.216, 12/1/2016)

As of July 11, 2017 the Senate has confirmed people to 49 PAS positions, and 30 required cloture votes
1193 PAS positions therefore remain empty

Under The Current Scenario: In the 173 days since January 20, 2017, the Senate has confirmed 49 PAS nominations, or one every 3.5 days. At a similar rate of 3.5 days per nominee it would take 11.4 years (4,175 days) to fill the remaining 1193 PAS positions listed in the Plum Book.

Senate Dems Are Following The Lead Of Former Reid & Schumer Staffers: ‘We’ll Never Reach A Point Where We Say, “OK, That’s Enough”’

“Democrats at the Center for American Progress estimate that President Trump still has upwards of 900 second- and third-tier appointees to push through the Senate. And in the liberal think tank’s new ‘war room,’ the objective is to scrutinize each one… to tie up floor time…” (“Democratic War Room Expands With Plans To Scrutinize Hundreds And Hundreds Of Trump Appointees,” BuzzFeed News, 3/02/2017)

“The political arm of the Center for American Progress, called the CAP Action Fund, is one of the central entities in Democrats’ sprawling effort to oppose Trump. In an interview on Thursday, the group’s senior strategic adviser, Adam Jentleson [former deputy chief of staff to former Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)], outlined an ambitious and wide-reaching plan ... ‘We’ll never reach a point where we say, “OK, that’s enough,”’ he said.” (“Democratic War Room Expands With Plans To Scrutinize Hundreds And Hundreds Of Trump Appointees,” BuzzFeed News, 3/02/2017)

“Jentleson said most of the [left-wing] groups are working together so far. Many are led by strategists who worked with one another for years in Washington, he said, ticking off names like … Brian Fallon [former spokesman for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)] at Priorities, who used to sit next to Jentleson every day when they both worked in the Senate.” (“Democratic War Room Expands With Plans To Scrutinize Hundreds And Hundreds Of Trump Appointees,” BuzzFeed News, 3/02/2017)

PREVIOUSLY: Democrats Slowed Cabinet Confirmations ‘To A Historic Degree’

“Senate Democrats … are slow-walking the installation of Trump’s Cabinet to a historic degree…” (“‘The Senate Is Coming Apart,’” Politico, 2/5/2017)

“Trump’s confirmations really are taking longer than his predecessors” (The Washington Post, 2/1/17)

“The sluggish pace of Cabinet-level approvals is unusually slow...” (“Sluggish Pace Of Filling Trump’s Cabinet-Level Posts Shows No Sign Of Easing,” McClatchy, 2/4/17)

“Trump’s wait for his major Cabinet picks was nearly the longest in 30 years… The Senate confirmed the last of President Trump’s nominees to lead major Cabinet departments on Thursday… Of the five most recent administrations, only Obama has taken longer to fill out his Cabinet, though Trump was only one day shy of tying that mark.” (“Trump’s Wait For His Major Cabinet Picks Was Nearly The Longest In 30 Years,” The Washington Post, 4/27/2017)

FLASHBACK

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “Who in America doesn't think a president, Democrat or Republican, deserves his or her picks for who should run the agencies? Nobody.” (Sen. Schumer, Press Conference, 11/21/13)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Nominations, Restoring the Senate, Senate Democrats

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