In politics, you’re often damned if you do and damned if you don’t. The attacks at Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for President Trump’s FEC nominee, Trey Trainor, are a reminder that some people can never be satisfied.

Since September, campaign finance “reform” groups have been screaming that democracy is in peril. The Federal Election Commission lost its quorum that month with the resignation of Republican commissioner Matt Petersen. Only three commissioners, two Democratic appointees and one Republican, remain at the six-member agency, which is structured to have three Republicans and three Democrats. All three still serving are “holdover” commissioners, meaning that their statutory terms have expired, but they remain in office until their replacements are nominated and confirmed. The lack of a quorum means that the FEC cannot write new rules, open new investigations, or offer advice to speakers on how to comply with the law.