GOP senator responds to Obama’s criticism of blocking confirmations

Facing criticism in President Obama’s weekly address over his pledge to block nominees, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) responded Saturday that he was adhering to the Constitution.

Lee has promised to block nominees because he believes the president’s recent appointments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Labor Relations Board are unconstitutional.

“Sadly, the President has sought to make this a partisan issue; but the Constitution is not partisan. The Constitution does not allow any president, Republican or Democrat, to circumvent the Senate in making appointments, and I will resist, just as vigorously, members of my own party who would attempt to do the same thing,” Lee said in a statement.

In his weekly address, Obama said a senator had promised to block his nominees because he wants him to fire Richard Cordray, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The president didn’t name the senator but Lee garnered plenty of attention when he promised to block Obama’s nominees because of his concerns over the recess appointments.

“The President cannot make appointments unilaterally and he does not have the authority unilaterally to decide whether the Senate is in recess. These appointments were therefore unconstitutional,” Lee said. “That is why I must take a stand. And I call on all Americans – Republicans, Democrats, Independents ­— who care about our nation, to stand with me in defense of this blatant and egregious encroachment on our basic constitutional liberties.”

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