Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is blocking the quick confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas as Joe Biden’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Hawley cited concern about how or if Mayorkas will protect the southern border.
Andrew Desiderio reports at Politico:
Josh Hawley will delay swift confirmation of Biden’s DHS pickGOP Sen. Josh Hawley announced on Tuesday that he plans to object to swift consideration of President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, a move that will delay the installment of Biden’s national-security team.Hawley, who has come under heavy scrutiny for leading a push to object to the Electoral College certification of Biden’s victory, cited the incoming administration’s immigration policies. The Missouri senator argued that the nominee, Alejandro Mayorkas, “has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures.”Senate Democrats had been pushing for quick floor votes on Biden’s national-security nominees in light of the insurrection at the Capitol earlier this month. Mayorkas is still likely to be confirmed by the full Senate, but Hawley’s move effectively delays a floor vote.
Democrats and their media allies, who took pleasure in delaying Trump appointments over the last four years, are now deeply concerned about the danger of not approving everyone Biden wants immediately:
Sean Savett, a spokesman for the Biden transition, said the nation “urgently needs” a Senate-confirmed DHS secretary on day one of Biden’s presidency given the extensive and complicated national-security challenges of late.“Senator Hawley’s threat to disrupt historical practice and try to leave this vital position vacant is dangerous, especially in this time of overlapping crises when there is not a moment to waste,” Savett added.
If you watch the exchange below between Mitt Romney and Mayorkas, you may appreciate Hawley’s point. Romney asks Mayorkas how he plans to deal with the caravan currently approaching the southern border and gets a non-answer:
In November, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton said Mayorkas should be disqualified from heading the DHS for allegedly selling Green Cards to Chinese nationals on behalf of Democrat donors.
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau shows us how Democrats will come after Hawley for not falling in line:
Expect the media to adopt the same narrative.
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