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| Senate Democrats Boycott Committee Vote to Slow Confirmations | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ■ Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee are boycotting votes on President Trump’s Treasury and health secretary nominees to slow their confirmations. | |
| ■ Amid chaos in his government, President Trump on Tuesday called Democrats “a mess” for a microphone mishap. | ■ Amid chaos in his government, President Trump on Tuesday called Democrats “a mess” for a microphone mishap. |
| ■ The turmoil at the Justice Department over Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration raises the pressure on senators to confirm, or block, Senator Jeff Sessions’s appointment as attorney general. | ■ The turmoil at the Justice Department over Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration raises the pressure on senators to confirm, or block, Senator Jeff Sessions’s appointment as attorney general. |
| Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee sought to stall the confirmations of Steven Mnuchin and Tom Price, President Trump’s picks for Treasury secretary and secretary of health and human Services, refusing to attend scheduled votes on Tuesday. | Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee sought to stall the confirmations of Steven Mnuchin and Tom Price, President Trump’s picks for Treasury secretary and secretary of health and human Services, refusing to attend scheduled votes on Tuesday. |
| Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said that recent news reports suggested that Mr. Mnuchin and Mr. Price had given false statements in their nomination hearings and that they needed more information before making judgments about the nominees. | Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said that recent news reports suggested that Mr. Mnuchin and Mr. Price had given false statements in their nomination hearings and that they needed more information before making judgments about the nominees. |
| “We have made clear that we need additional information,” Mr. Wyden said outside of his office, explaining the reason for the boycott. | “We have made clear that we need additional information,” Mr. Wyden said outside of his office, explaining the reason for the boycott. |
| Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, assailed the nominees for failing to be honest with the committee. | Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, assailed the nominees for failing to be honest with the committee. |
| “The truth matters,” she said. “That’s not what has been happening here.” | “The truth matters,” she said. “That’s not what has been happening here.” |
| Republicans expressed dismay at the delay on Tuesday: “I think this is a completely unprecedented level of obstruction,” said Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvnia. | Republicans expressed dismay at the delay on Tuesday: “I think this is a completely unprecedented level of obstruction,” said Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvnia. |
| But with a Supreme Court vacancy nearing its 12-month point after a truly unprecedented blockade by Republicans, Democrats weren’t exactly feeling the heat, at least not yet. | But with a Supreme Court vacancy nearing its 12-month point after a truly unprecedented blockade by Republicans, Democrats weren’t exactly feeling the heat, at least not yet. |
| The acting attorney general has been fired, protests are rocking the nation’s largest airports, and a constitutional clash is brewing between the executive and judicial branches, but Mr. Trump thinks the Democrats are a real mess because their audio equipment malfunctions, as do their tear ducts. | |
| The rally he was referring to was surprisingly large for what amounted to a political event on the steps of the Supreme Court. But what is really sticking in the president’s craw is the glacial pace of confirmations in the Senate — which is intentional. His choice for transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, is likely to be confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, and his nominee for secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, will probably get a vote on Wednesday. Committee votes are expected today for his nominees for attorney general, Jeff Sessions; education secretary, Betsy DeVos; and small business administrator, Linda McMahon. | |
| But Democrats are deliberately slowing the process as they demand more answers to questions about ethics and the nominees’ views on Mr. Trump’s temporary immigration ban from citizens of seven predominately Muslim nations. | |
| Mr. Trump’s tweets only gave Democratic leaders the opportunity to grab the high ground. Ms. Pelosi, the House minority leader, responded: | |
| So did Mr. Schumer’s spokesman, Matt House: | |
| The late-night firing of the acting attorney general, Sally Q. Yates, over her refusal to defend Mr. Trump’s executive order banning refugees, immigrants and visitors from seven predominately Muslim countries has put a lot of people in a sticky position: senators. | The late-night firing of the acting attorney general, Sally Q. Yates, over her refusal to defend Mr. Trump’s executive order banning refugees, immigrants and visitors from seven predominately Muslim countries has put a lot of people in a sticky position: senators. |
| Democrats now have every reason to drag out the confirmation fight over Mr. Sessions as long as possible, leaving Mr. Trump’s order defended by a Justice Department riven by dissent against a growing list of opponents. | Democrats now have every reason to drag out the confirmation fight over Mr. Sessions as long as possible, leaving Mr. Trump’s order defended by a Justice Department riven by dissent against a growing list of opponents. |
| Mr. Trump seems to understand this. | Mr. Trump seems to understand this. |
| But what about Republican senators like John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Cory Gardner of Colorado? | But what about Republican senators like John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Cory Gardner of Colorado? |
| They have leverage to demand changes before they seat Mr. Sessions at the Justice Department. But as the fight drags on, so does the lag in warrants. The pressure will only intensify. | They have leverage to demand changes before they seat Mr. Sessions at the Justice Department. But as the fight drags on, so does the lag in warrants. The pressure will only intensify. |
| At her confirmation hearings to be deputy attorney general, Ms. Yates faced a grilling from Republicans who were furious about former President Barack Obama’s order liberalizing immigration policy. | At her confirmation hearings to be deputy attorney general, Ms. Yates faced a grilling from Republicans who were furious about former President Barack Obama’s order liberalizing immigration policy. |
| The question: Would Ms. Yates be willing to stand up to the president? | The question: Would Ms. Yates be willing to stand up to the president? |
| Her inquisitor? Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, and now Mr. Trump’s nominee for attorney general. | Her inquisitor? Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, and now Mr. Trump’s nominee for attorney general. |
| “If the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, should the attorney general or the deputy attorney general say ‘No?’” Mr. Sessions asked. | “If the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, should the attorney general or the deputy attorney general say ‘No?’” Mr. Sessions asked. |
| “I believe the attorney general or deputy attorney general has an obligation to follow the law and Constitution and give their independent legal advice to the president,” Ms. Yates replied. | “I believe the attorney general or deputy attorney general has an obligation to follow the law and Constitution and give their independent legal advice to the president,” Ms. Yates replied. |
| The E.U. negotiator on Britain’s exit from the European Union returned from the United States and declared that a united Europe now faces three threats: Islamist terrorism, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Mr. Trump. | The E.U. negotiator on Britain’s exit from the European Union returned from the United States and declared that a united Europe now faces three threats: Islamist terrorism, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Mr. Trump. |
| “I have just come back from U.S., and my view is that we have a third front that is undermining the E.U., and that is Donald Trump,” the negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, said in a speech at Chatham House, a think tank in London, according to a German newspaper. | |
| “Trump spoke very favorably of the fact that also other countries will want to break away from the European Union, and that he hoped for a disintegration of the European Union,” he added. | “Trump spoke very favorably of the fact that also other countries will want to break away from the European Union, and that he hoped for a disintegration of the European Union,” he added. |
| President Trump and his administration have enraged Mexico, bewildered Japan, incensed China and angered much of the Muslim world. So what’s wrong with tweaking the Germans? | President Trump and his administration have enraged Mexico, bewildered Japan, incensed China and angered much of the Muslim world. So what’s wrong with tweaking the Germans? |
| Peter Navarro, the director of Mr. Trump’s new National Trade Council, told the Financial Times that Germany was using a “grossly undervalued” euro to “exploit” the United States and its European Union partners. | Peter Navarro, the director of Mr. Trump’s new National Trade Council, told the Financial Times that Germany was using a “grossly undervalued” euro to “exploit” the United States and its European Union partners. |
| That did not sit well with Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. | That did not sit well with Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. |
| “Germany is a country that has always called for the European Central Bank to pursue an independent policy, just as the Bundesbank did that before the euro existed,” Ms. Merkel told a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, according to Reuters. “Because of that we will not influence the behavior of the E.C.B. And as a result, I cannot and do not want to change the situation as it is,” she added. | “Germany is a country that has always called for the European Central Bank to pursue an independent policy, just as the Bundesbank did that before the euro existed,” Ms. Merkel told a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, according to Reuters. “Because of that we will not influence the behavior of the E.C.B. And as a result, I cannot and do not want to change the situation as it is,” she added. |