Senate Democrats Vow To Stall Trump Cabinet Picks: ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’

Looks like Republicans are about to get a big dose of both karma and obstruction when it comes to Donald Trump’s picks for his cabinet.

Several Democratic lawmakers told Politico they plan to force up to 30 hours of debate and procedural votes on each cabinet nominee, which would take weeks out of the Senate calendar and also slow any momentum in Trump’s first 100 days as president.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is one of the leaders of the effort to put the brakes on Trump nominees:

“They’ve been rewarded for stealing a Supreme Court justice. We’re going to help them confirm their nominees, many of whom are disqualified? It’s not obstruction, it’s not partisan, it’s just a duty to find out what they’d do in these jobs.”

Senator Diane Feinstein echoed Brown’s remarks and also made reference to the fact that Senate Republicans refused to even hold hearings on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland:

“Past is present, and what goes around comes around. Now, those are pretty hackneyed sayings, but those are really true around here.”

Other Democrats suggested that Trump may wind up getting his cabinet pics confirmed, but that they will not merely serve as a rubber stamp for the new president. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy remarked:

“I’m not going to vote for radical nominees, and I’m not going to vote for totally unprepared nominees. But if a nominee is more to the mainstream of the Republican Party and has experience in the field they’re undertaking to oversee, there will be Democratic votes.”

Which nominee might face the toughest confirmation hearings? Senator Brown pointed to Jeff Sessions, who Trump tapped to serve as Attorney General. Brown noted that Sessions had been “dissed by the Senate once for his racism,” making reference to the Senate’s refusal to confirm Sessions to be a federal judge in 1986.

Stay tuned. Things could get very interesting beginning in January.

Featured Image Via ITV