Republicans smash through one Trump cabinet boycott by suspending rules and voting without any Democrats in the room – just as a SECOND vote boycott b

[superbeets]

Republicans smash through one Trump cabinet boycott by suspending rules and voting without any Democrats in the room – just as a SECOND vote boycott begins

• Senator Democrats walked out of committee meetings Tuesday on hearings for Treasury and Health and Human Services Department nominees
• Committee rules prohibit taking up nominations without at least one Democrat present, but Sen. orrin Hatch waived the rule on Wednesday
• Democrats had demanded more information about financial transactions involving Treasury nominee Steve Mnuchin and HHS nominee Rep. Tom Price
• Mnuchin is under fire for foreclosures at OneWest bank, which he headed, while Price faces scrutiny for his stock trades while he served in Congress
• Hatch said there was 'no excuse' for Democrats boycotting, and blasted them for 'cower[ing] in the hallway'
• On Wednesday all 10 Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee boycotted a vote for Trump's EPA administrator Scott Pruitt

By DAVID MARTOSKO, US POLITICAL EDITOR and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WIRES
PUBLISHED: 15:14, 1 February 2017 | UPDATED: 16:52, 1 February 2017




[h=2]Republicans smash through boycott of Trump cabinet by suspending rules and voting without any Democrats in the room: 'They chose to cower in the hallway'[/h]

'There's no excuse for what they did yesterday, and there's no excuse for not coming today,' Sen. Orrin Hatch told reporters, saying Democrats played 'a cheap political ploy, and they should be ashamed.' Committee Democrats had boycotted the proceedings on Tuesday, taking advantage of a rule that prohibits votes unless at least one member of the minority party is present. They stayed away for a second day on Wednesday. A visibly irritated Hatch suspended that rule. Health and Human Services secretary nominee Rep. Tom Price and Treasury nominee Steve Mnuchin were approved by 14-0 voice votes.

 

[superbeets]

Senate Republicans have taken the upper hand in the fight over two of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, suspending a the Finance Committee' rules and holding votes without any Democrats in the room.
The move came as Democrats regrouped to stage a second boycott, refusing to show up to vote on Trump's EPA administrator Scott Pruitt in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. All ten Democrats on that panel were absent.
Separately the Senate Judiciary Committee – with Democrats present – cleared Sen. Jeff Sessions for a full floor vote on his attorney general nomination by an 11-9 tally.
Democrats had boycotted the Finance Committee proceedings on Tuesday, taking advantage of a rule that prohibits votes unless at least one member of the minority party is present. They stayed away for a second day on Wednesday.
A visibly irritated chairman Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, suspended that rule. Health and Human Services secretary nominee Rep. Tom Price and Treasury nominee Steve Mnuchin were approved by 14-0 voice votes.
'There's no excuse for what they did yesterday, and there's no excuse for not coming today,' the normally reserved Hatch told reporters in the committee hearing room, saying Democrats played 'a cheap political ploy, and they should be ashamed.'
'Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs. Yesterday, rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome, our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference,' he said during a brief hearing, justifying the decision to move ahead and vote without them.

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Sen. Orrin Hatch, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, blasted Democrats on Wednesday for choosing to 'cower in the hallway' instead of voting on two of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees

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Democratic seats on the Finance Committee were empty on Wednesday for a second day as the party's members boycotted confirmation votes for Treasury Secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin and HHS nominee Tom Price

 

[superbeets]

Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Rep. Tom Price (left) and Steve Mnuchin, the Trasury Secretary designate (right) were both targets of the boycott

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'There's no excuse for what they did yesterday, and there's no excuse for not coming today,' the normally reserved Hatch told reporters in the committee hearing room

'We took some unprecedented actions today due to the unprecedented obstruction on the part of our colleagues,' he said from his seat in the hearing room.
'Now, I get that my colleagues think these nominees are controversial,' Hatch added. 'I get that they don’t want to see them confirmed. We’ve all been in that situation. It comes part and parcel with the job of being a senator.'
'Worse still, the decision to boycott yesterday’s meeting was not conveyed to anyone on our side until literally seconds before we were scheduled to begin.'
Hatch had already vented his anger at Democrats on Tuesday, saying they were 'posturing and acting like idiots' and saying he was 'tired of this type of crap.'
Democrats had said they boycotted Tuesday's session because they needed more information about the two nominees' past financial transactions, saying they had misled Congress about their backgrounds.

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Trump's EPA director nominee Scott Pruitt found himself in limbo on Wednesday after Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Democrats boycotted his hearing as well

 

[superbeets]

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, had said the men would hold positions 'that directly affect peoples' lives every day. The truth matters.'
[h=3]LABOR PICK HIT TOO[/h]The Senate panel tasked with vetting Andrew Puzder to head the Labor Department has postponed its tentative plans to hold his confirmation hearing yet again, a move that some political strategists say could signal trouble for the fast-food executive.
An aide for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions said on Tuesday that the panel will not 'officially' schedule a hearing 'until the committee has received his paperwork from the Office of Government Ethics.'
The committee had planned to hold Puzder's hearing on Feb. 7. Prior to that, the committee eyed three other possible hearing dates.
Puzder, who is the CEO of CKE Restaurants, is one of several of President Donald Trump's nominees who has faced particularly strong opposition from Senate Democrats and progressive groups.

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Democrats cited one report in The Wall Street Journal that Price received a special, discounted offer to buy stock in a biomedical company, which contradicted his testimony to Congress.
They said another report in The Columbus Dispatch showed documents revealing that Mnuchin had not been truthful with the Senate in the confirmation process in comments about how his bank OneWest had handled home foreclosures.
The Democratic National Committee said Wednesday in a statement that 'Senate Republicans had to break the rules and force these two nominees through the committee for one reason: they have no answer for the lies and serious ethics problems of Tom Price and Steven Mnuchin.'
Republicans have supported both men.
The DNC defended Senate Democrats' refusal to take part in Pruitt's proceedings, saying the Oklahoma attorney general has hidden information pointing to conflicts of interest.
Hatch accused Democrats of 'a lack of desire to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.'
The Democrats' action prevented the Finance Committee on Tuesday from holding the votes because under committee rules, 13 of its members – including at least one Democrat – must be present for votes.
Democrats also used using an obscure Senate rule to delay the Judiciary Committee's vote on Sessions.
After Democratic senators on that panel gave lengthy speeches opposing Sessions for several hours Tuesday, Republican chairman Charles Grassley of Iowa said the vote would be delayed until Wednesday.

By stemwinding, Democrats were able to trigger a rule that doesn't allow committees to be in session for two hours past the start of the Senate day. That rule is generally waived.
In their speeches, Democrats questioned whether the Alabama Republican could be independent of President Donald Trump as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. Sessions was one of Trump's first and strongest supporters.

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Attorney General-designate, Sen. Jeff Sessions, saw his hearing continue but with angry Democratic speeches condemning Trump's temporary travel ban for people arriving in the U.S. from seven countries

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Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow said the men would hold positions 'that directly affect peoples' lives every day. The truth matters' s she justified the boycott

In a more peaceful setting, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee quickly approved former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as Energy secretary by 16-7, and Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke to head Interior by 16-6. But several of his other picks faced more spirited opposition from Democrats.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee worked toward a vote on Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to be attorney general, the panel's top Republican praised the Alabama Republican.
'He's a man of integrity,' said Grassley. 'He's a man of his word. And he'll enforce the law, regardless of whether he would've supported passage of that law as a legislator.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was considering conservative activist Betsy DeVos to head the Education Department and voted in favor.
After a heated debate Tuesday morning, senators on the Health, Education, Pensions and Labor Committee have voted 12-11 along partisan lines to support DeVos' nomination, sending it to the full Senate for action.
But two prominent Republicans on the committee, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are expressing their skepticism over DeVos. They say they are not yet sure whether they will vote for her on the Senate floor.

 

[superbeets]

Murkowski says DeVos has yet to prove that she deeply cares about America's struggling schools and its children. Murkowski says the nominee has not yet earned her full support.
But former wrestling entertainment executive Linda McMahon's nomination to lead the Small Business Administration got through easily.
The 18-1 vote from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee moves McMahon's nomination to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., has cast the lone 'no' vote.
McMahon is the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment. McMahon has emphasized her business roots helping to getting the wrestling business up and running and eventually employing more than 800 people.
The entire Senate confirmed Elaine Chao to serve as Transportation secretary in the Trump administration. The vote was 93-6.
Chao is an experienced Washington hand. She was labor secretary under President George W. Bush, and is the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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Education Secretary-nominee Betsy DeVos testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. She got through the committee vote

 

[superbeets]

They're through: Rick Perry will go to a floor vote for Energy Secretary while Elaine Chaos was confirmed by the entire Senate as Transportation secretary

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Through to the next round: Former World Wrestling Entertainment chief executive Linda McMahon will have a full vote on the Senate floor

McConnell voted 'present.'
Democrats have targeted Price, a seven-term congressional veteran, for his staunch backing of his party's drive to scuttle Obama's health care law and to reshape Medicare and Medicaid, which help older and low-income people afford medical care.
They've also assailed Price for buying stocks of health care firms, accusing him of using insider information and conflicts of interest for backing legislation that could help his investments. Price says his trades were largely managed by brokers and that he's followed congressional ethics rules.
Democrats have accused Mnuchin of failing to protect homeowners from foreclosures and criticized him for not initially disclosing all his assets.
The Judiciary panel's vote on Sessions was coming with Democrats and demonstrators around the country in an uproar over Trump's executive order blocking refugees. Even some Republicans were warning it could hinder anti-terrorism efforts.
Democrats have questioned Sessions' devotion to enforcing civil rights laws.
DeVos, a wealthy GOP donor, has long supported charter schools and allowing school choice. That's prompted opposition from Democrats and teachers' unions, which view her stance as a threat to federal dollars that support public education.

 

[Dave007inVegas]

I love it. Don't take no shit from anyone.

 

[SheriffJoe]

I love it. Don't take no shit from anyone.

Republicans discovering their balls?

 

[Dave007inVegas]

Republicans discovering their balls?

They're just playing follow their leader. Amazing what one man can do.

 

[ML Dog]

Republicans discovering their balls?

You're Damn Right they are.

We have never seen anything like this.

None of us No One earnestly BELIEVED that what we are seeing was possible

within American Government.

Its been, for so long, a Mutual Agreement between both parties to get as little done as possible

and of that little that gets done most of it would Fuck The Middle Class up the Ass or benefit Parasites who just take,


those who contribute ZERO to this Nation. That Free Shit Army. Or what little they did would benefit the top 1%


A New Precedent is being set.

Republicans are Seeing that America is not just Ready for Politicians who have Balls and are gonna FIGHT

but this could easily, when you consider The Rage That is Now Present Here, become a Pre-Requisite of getting Hired, a Requirement for getting Support, Mandatory to get Votes.

I ain't saying Pussy Snowflake Politicians aren't gonna Worm their way into Office

Just that Certain Districts, Zones. States, Cities and Parties

might be getting near a place where a Fighter has an advantage, going in. To Winning that Vote.


Deal Is:

Yeah, its Sad that Civility is so Crippled, that Rage and Violence (mostly just Verbal, Hopefully) are gonna be the paints used to color the canvas of our world so much

as i've said in other threads though, this was always and forever the only place Humanity could have wound up.

If You object to that, instantly feel thats not true, that somehow (Wo)Mankind had a shot at Utopia.

I'm interested in Your Opinion of where we went wrong.

Where, in Human History, did We commit Ourselves to the path that has led us to where we are now?

Don't Say "Apple, Garden, Woman & a Talking Snake" cuz that was a Metaphorical Story.

For venturing from Innocence to Corruption

Trust to Suspicion

Purity to..........

I said in other posts also: I don't care if you Reply to posts I make that have questions in them


I want you to Reply to this one



Where do you feel like Mankind went wrong?

What could We have done

to accomplish Peace?


To have this come out differently.




That Said. I am Loving This. All This Drama and Turmoil. Not just bcuz of that same thing that made me (and you) love House of Cards, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, mAd Men, Scarface, Godfather, Goodfellas and everything else Crazy like this Political & Social Revolution that we have been so totally BLESSED to live amidst

at this time

we are blessed to be here

but I Love this bcuz of the fact that in all of World History only a small small number of Common People ever got the government they needed.

While at the same time

Those In Love with Themselves, The Vain, Vapid and Vacant that before were "Important" treated like Royalty

took to the streets yelling doing all that they could think of to regain that Power and Control that they once had

but that was gone


forever

 

[ML Dog]

Newly Appointed Prime Minister of Whats Up Wazzup

took to Twitter Wednesday Night posting a disturbing video

 

[Seymour]

Blowing up the rules? too funny - the dems don't show up for the vote and then cry that the republicans are voting on the scheduled vote that the dems intentionally didn't show for - fucken clown show

reality is Trump is moving way to fucken fast and the dems can't keep up and have zero power to stop anything

 

[JDeuce]

Committee rules prohibit taking up nominations without at least one Democrat present, but Sen. Orrin Hatch waived the rule on Wednesday

Not a problem. Many RINOs act no differently whatsoever.