Brown denies rushing to be sworn in to block Obama nominee

Sen.-elect Scott Brown (R-Mass.) on Thursday denied that he wanted to rush his swearing in to vote against one of President Barack Obama's appointees widely opposed by Republicans.

Brown told reporters after he arrived on Capitol Hill that he simply wants to start working as a senator after being certified earlier than expected.

Asked if he wanted to be seated earlier in order to vote against Craig Becker, who was nominated to the National Labor Relations Board, Brown said "No, I haven't spoken to the leadership since the last time I was here.

"I'm here because I'm the duly elected senator, the certification process was done," Brown added. "And, you know, I don't care if it's a procedural vote or voting on the budget or -- or terror issues or nominations, I was elected. it's time to do my job."

In a letter written by his attorneys on Wednesday, Brown asked to be seated immediately. The senator-elect was scheduled to be sworn-in Feb. 11 but asked Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) and Secretary of State William Galvin to complete the certification process immediately.

In the letter Brown's counsel said that the former state senator "has been advised that there are a number of votes scheduled prior to that date," his attorneys wrote. "For that reason, he wants certification to occur immediately."

The officials certified the election results Thursday and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) agreed to make Brown the 41st Republican senator, breaking the Democrats' 60-seat super-majority. Vice President Joe Biden will swear in Brown at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Speculation that Brown wanted to to rush to Washington to block Becker, a labor attorney, swirled after he sent the letter.

Brown calls the man partly responsible for blocking Becker's nomination, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), his "mentor."

The Massachusetts Republican denied speaking to Republican leadership but did say that he spoke to McCain. 

"All I can tell you is that I have had no contact with the leader's office or anyone else," Brown said. "I've spoken to Senator McCain a few times, only because he's somewhat of a mentor and been helpful getting the office set up."

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