Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pledged Monday to continue blocking President Trump’s nominees to the Treasury Department in a bid to get documents related to Trump’s dealings with Russia.
The Oregon Democrat and ranking member on the Finance Committee committed to holding up nominees after Trump called out Democrats for stalling his nominations in his weekly address. The president specifically called it “a disgrace” that Democrats have prevented confirmation for Isabel Patelunas to serve as assistant secretary of the treasury for intelligence and analysis.
On Monday, Wyden said he has placed a hold on Patelunas in order to gain documents from the Treasury relating to Trump’s financial ties with Russia, and said conducting oversight is a “constitutional duty, not a resistance tactic.”
“I plan to maintain my hold on Ms. Patelunas, and to block other nominations until this stonewalling ends,” he added.
Since early in Trump’s tenure, Wyden has sought to use nominations as leverage over Treasury to get the documents he is seeking.
Patelunas was nominated last June, but Wyden placed a hold on her nomination in September.
