President-elect Trump’s cabinet choices are on a fast-track to confirmation, with even controversial picks working the Senate hard this week before Christmas to speed the process so that the new administration is in place within days of the Inauguration.
Exxon Mobil boss Rex Tillerson, nominated as secretary of State, was the latest to make the journey to the Senate Tuesday as the chamber set a plan to begin probing Trump’s picks so that they can be OK’d as early as January 20.
“The gameplan is to get into session and I think the Senate will be holding hearings, get all that groundwork done” before Inauguration Day, said Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Johnson noted that Republicans were quick to approve President Obama’s picks and expects Democrats to follow suit.
“On a bipartisan basis we realize that the administration needs to start functioning, so I certainly hope that Democrats don’t play games with the national security, economic security of America by playing games with these nominations,” he told Secrets.
Tying up nominees, he added, “would be a disservice, I think that would be a real display of obstruction that literally could threaten our economic and national security. So I hope they don’t do it.”
Two thirds of Obama’s 2009 cabinet choices were approved in the first week, seven in the first two days.
Johnson, newly reelected to a second term from Wisconsin, said that “Republicans gave a great deal of latitude, I certainly have, to this president in voting for his nominees, people I completely disagreed with, but elections matter and presidents have the right to surround themselves with people who agree with their viewpoint,” he said, adding, “Republicans are going to do everything we can to make sure that happens.”
Tillerson is the Trump pick that is giving senators the most heartburn largely because he has been portrayed by critics as too friendly to Russia where his firm has completed several deals.
Johnson, after his meeting that lasted over an hour, dismissed the concerns.
“If people are willing to have an open mind, it should be a no brainer” to approve Tillerson, said Johnson. He even offered the long-time corporate boss some advice.
“I recommended that he count how many countries he’s visited, how many countries he’s done significant deals with, how many world leaders he’s met with,” said Johnson. “I doubt there’s been a secretary of State nominee that has his depth and breadth of experience and background and understanding,” he added.
And noting how Tillerson rose up through the Exxon ranks, he added, “That’s somebody who has something on the ball. That’s a real accomplishment.”
Ditto for the other Trump picks he has met. Said the senator, “I was incredibly impressed with the nominee’s I’ve met do date, Gen. John Kelly, (Homeland), Rex Tillerson, (Commerce pick) Wilbur Ross, (deputy Commerce pick) Todd Ricketts, (Transportation nominee) Elaine Chao, these are accomplished, experienced, knowledgeable people and certainly in the case of many of them, people who have accomplished things which is important.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
