‘Delaying and obstructing’: Top Senate Republican hits back as Dem calls Trump confirmation hearings bad
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, chairman of the Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee, accused Democrats of “delaying and obstructing” top energy nominees for President Trump’s incoming administration.
“Senate Democrats have shown once again that delaying and preventing the incoming Trump administration is their top priority,” Lee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.
“Both Gov. Doug Burgum and Chris Wright’s papers have been sent to the Office of Government Policy from their respective agencies. The confirmation process is moving forward as it should, and good progress has been made to ensure that these nominees are thoroughly vetted and ready for the Energy and Environmental Committee to follow all the rules in observing their confirmation hearings.
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Mike Lee said his Democratic counterpart is trying to delay Trump’s decision hearing. (Reuters)
“This is the same group that, in 2009, went ahead and listened to President Obama’s nominees under similar circumstances. While the Democrats are dragging their feet, the Republicans are moving forward and doing the work that the American people expect us to do. It’s time for the Senate Democrats to meet this time with the importance it needs.”
The Utah Republican was responding to the claims of his Democratic colleague on the committee, ranking member Martin Heinrich, who suggested that he is planning a confirmation hearing for CEO and founder of Liberty Energy Chris Wright, Trump’s choice for energy secretary, and Gov. North Dakota. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for interior secretary, broke protocol.
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This week, Heinrich responded to a “decades-old violation of Senate rule” when he said Lee had set up Burgum’s hearing without the approval of a majority of the committee.
“I am deeply disappointed that Chairman Lee scheduled the first hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding my objections ​​before the basic information was provided to the committee. This is a violation of protocol and precedent, established over decades by the chairmen of both parties,” said – Heinrich in a statement Wednesday after Burgum’s formal confirmation hearing for Lee on Jan. 14.
Trump tapped Burgum to lead the Interior Department. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
He issued a second statement Thursday in response to Wright’s Jan. 15 confirmation hearing.
“I am deeply disappointed that Chairman Lee has seen a second hearing on the nominations without obtaining information from the nominees required by law and complying with committee rules, including a completed FBI database check and financial report,” the senator said.
Heinrich said, “The documents that the Energy and Natural Resources Democrats don’t have are not just documents. These are documents, disclosures and (an) ethics agreement required by our committee rules and the law.”
But, according to Lee, who assumed the role of chairman after Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., was appointed to serve as Senate majority whip, his actions are consistent with committee precedent.
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Lee is the new chairman of the Energy Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
He also insisted that he was in “full compliance” with all the rules when it came to holding confirmation hearings for Trump’s picks for key power roles.
While Heinrich accused Lee of going against precedent, a similar situation occurred in 2009 in the administration of former President Obama. Steven Chu and Ken Salazar, former secretaries of Energy and the Interior, respectively, had their confirmation hearings announced by former Energy Chairman Jeff Bingaman before all documents were received.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the Democratic committee said that these are the only cases in this series of events “although a number of nominees are being considered by the committee.
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In 2009, Obama’s other nominees ran on a similar timeline. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“Furthermore, unlike the cases that Chairman Lee has seen, the committee accepted the disclosure of Dr. Chu and Mr. Salazar only one day after the notice was issued. It has been days since Chairman Lee saw this hearing. But the committee has not received the necessary documents and is not sure that it will receive them in time of the hearing.”
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Lee’s take on Heinrich’s criticism is that Democrats “want to combine the notice and requirements that apply generally to nominations.”
“Rest assured, Republicans will continue to comply with all committee rules,” he said.
