***IMMEDIATE ACTION*** ALL SENATORS MUST RECEIVE NOMINEES’ FBI REPORTS AND OTHER BACKGROUND MATERIALS BEFORE COMMITTEE HEARINGS
Responding to Trump’s pressure for speedy confirmation of his nominees, GOP Senate Committee Chairs have set hearings for 11 nominees next week —1/14: Hegseth (DOD), Burgum (Interior), Collins (Veteran Affairs) ; 1/15: Bondi (A-G), Rubio (State), Ratcliffe (CIA), Noem (DHS), Wright (DOE), Duffy, (DOT), Vought (OMB); 1/16: Scott (HUD). It’s unclear how many nominees have complete files and whether committee members have reviewed them.
The Senate’s constitutional duty to advise and consent requires careful consideration of each nominee. This is why Senate committees don’t typically conduct a hearing until all vetting paperwork—a filled-out standard questionnaire and financial disclosure form, Office of Government Ethics approval, and a full FBI background check—is complete.
Being able to perform these constitutional functions is especially important here because many nominees lack relevant experience, are unqualified to hold the nominated-for positions and have disqualifying biases and conflicts of interest. Trump seems to have chosen them for their willingness to lie about the 2020 election and January 6th and the expectation that they’ll carry out his orders, even if illegal.
Democratic Senators must insist that no confirmation hearing be held until all committee members have received, and have ample time to review (at least one week), the candidate’s complete file with all of the above vetting paperwork. Please convince your colleagues to adopt this position and refuse to consent to any exceptions.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
