Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday he hasn’t met Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, who President Trump selected to succeed Dan Coats as the director of national intelligence, and isn’t ready to pledge his support.
“I’d rather not address that until I’ve had a chance to meet him to discuss his background and qualifications,” McConnell said.
The Kentucky Republican told reporters, “Generally speaking, I would lean toward the president’s nominees.” Ratcliffe is unknown to most Senate lawmakers, even Republicans.
Democrats are building a case against him, arguing he is a Trump loyalist who is underqualified for such a critical intelligence position.
He’ll likely have to rely on mostly Republicans to back him and they aren’t lining up behind him yet.
“I don’t know Rep. John Ratcliffe at all, and the White House has yet to submit his nomination to the Senate Intelligence Committee,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told the Washington Examiner on Monday. “When that occurs, the Senate Intelligence Committee will thoroughly consider his nomination and hold a public hearing.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., promised to move the nomination “swiftly” but was silent about whether he backs Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe, 53, is a relative newcomer to Congress. He was elected in 2014 after serving as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, where he was in charge of anti-terrorism and national security cases.
He currently serves on the Homeland Security and Judiciary committees.
Media outlets on Tuesday reported Ratcliffe exaggerated his role in a case that convicted individuals of funneling money to Hamas.
A reporter asked McConnell if he believed Ratcliffe padded his resume.
“I haven’t met Congressman Ratcliffe yet, and we’re going to get together and discuss all of this,” McConnell said.
Ratcliffe’s confirmation hearings would not begin until September at the earliest. The Senate is expected to depart this week for the August recess and won’t return until after Labor Day.
