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Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerNational emergency declaration — a legal fight Trump is likely to win House Judiciary Dems seek answers over Trump's national emergency declaration Mandatory E-Verify: The other border wall MORE (D-N.Y.) is using Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDems ready aggressive response to Trump emergency order, as GOP splinters Green New Deal Resolution invites big picture governing ‘Contingency’ spending in 3B budget deal comes under fire MORE's own words against him in a looming confirmation fight, sending the Kentucky Republican his own 2009 letter outlining nomination requirements.
Schumer said he sent McConnell the exact letter McConnell sent to then-Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidConstitutional conservatives need to oppose the national emergency Klobuchar: 'I don't remember' conversation with Reid over alleged staff mistreatment Dems wary of killing off filibuster MORE (D-Nev.) in February 2009 about President Obama's nominees.
Harry Mason ReidConstitutional conservatives need to oppose the national emergency Klobuchar: 'I don't remember' conversation with Reid over alleged staff mistreatment Dems wary of killing off filibuster MORE (D-Nev.) in February 2009 about President Obama's nominees. "In 2009, then-Minority Leader McConnell sent then-Majority Leader Reid a letter laying out his list of pre-requisites for time agreements on the floor for President Obama’s nominees," he said from the Senate floor. "They are almost exactly what Democrats have requested."
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McConnell sent the letter after many Obama nominees, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSanders expected to announce exploratory committee next week Bernie Sanders records announcement video ahead of possible 2020 bid Overnight Defense: Trump declares border emergency | .6B in military construction funds to be used for wall | Trump believes Obama would have started war with North Korea | Pentagon delivers aid for Venezuelan migrants MORE, had already been confirmed. The senator's staff argued on Twitter Monday that the letter was aimed at lower-level nominations.
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSanders expected to announce exploratory committee next week Bernie Sanders records announcement video ahead of possible 2020 bid Overnight Defense: Trump declares border emergency | .6B in military construction funds to be used for wall | Trump believes Obama would have started war with North Korea | Pentagon delivers aid for Venezuelan migrants MORE, had already been confirmed. The senator's staff argued on Twitter Monday that the letter was aimed at lower-level nominations. Schumer also tweeted out an edited copy of his letter on Monday, which shows him marking out McConnell's signature and writing in his own.
Our requests are eminently reasonable, shared by leaders of both parties. I'll return this letter to @SenateMajLdr with the same requests. pic.twitter.com/IMT7ZtJFjV
— Chuck Schumer
McConnell's 2009 requirements include an ethics agreement letter and financial disclosures being submitted to a Senate committee before a hearing.
Schumer's move comes as the Senate is expected to have confirmation hearings for nine of President-elect Donald Trump
Donald John TrumpGillibrand backs federal classification of third gender: report Former Carter pollster, Bannon ally Patrick Caddell dies at 68 Heather Nauert withdraws her name from consideration for UN Ambassador job MORE's nominees this week.
Donald John TrumpGillibrand backs federal classification of third gender: report Former Carter pollster, Bannon ally Patrick Caddell dies at 68 Heather Nauert withdraws her name from consideration for UN Ambassador job MORE's nominees this week. Democrats have blasted the schedule, arguing Republicans are rushing to confirm Trump's nominees without proper vetting.
The Office of Government Ethics has released financial disclosures and ethics letters for five nominees that will get hearings this week: Rex Tillerson, Trump’s pick to be secretary of State; Sen. Jeff Sessions
Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsThe Hill's Morning Report — Presented by the American Academy of HIV Medicine — Trump, Congress prepare for new border wall fight The Memo: Trump and McCabe go to war McCabe book: Sessions once said FBI was better off when it 'only hired Irishmen' MORE (R-Ala.), his pick to be attorney general; Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), his pick for CIA head; Elaine Chao, his pick to be Transportation secretary and McConnell's wife; and retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, his pick to lead the Pentagon.
Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsThe Hill's Morning Report — Presented by the American Academy of HIV Medicine — Trump, Congress prepare for new border wall fight The Memo: Trump and McCabe go to war McCabe book: Sessions once said FBI was better off when it 'only hired Irishmen' MORE (R-Ala.), his pick to be attorney general; Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), his pick for CIA head; Elaine Chao, his pick to be Transportation secretary and McConnell's wife; and retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, his pick to lead the Pentagon.McConnell pledged over the weekend that no nominee would get a full Senate vote before all of their paperwork has been turned in.
He added on Monday after meeting with Trump that "everybody will be properly vetted as they have been in the past."
Democrats face an uphill battle to block any of Trump's nominees, who only need 50 votes to clear the upper chamber.
But any one senator could slow down the confirmation process, potentially undercutting the GOP's push to confirm up to seven nominees on "day one."
