Senate

Shaheen to oppose Pompeo nomination

Victoria Sarno Jordan

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said on Tuesday that she will oppose CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination to be secretary of State, appearing to leave him short of winning a majority of the Foreign Relations Committee.

“After careful consideration, I cannot support Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination to serve as Secretary of State,” Shaheen said in a statement.

Shaheen added that she has “deep concerns regarding Mr. Pompeo’s past statements and policy views, particularly in regards to the LGBTQ community, American Muslims and women’s reproductive rights.”

Shaheen’s announcement comes as Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) wants to hold a vote on Pompeo’s nomination in the Foreign Relations Committee next week. {mosads}

To get a favorable recommendation from the panel, a majority of its members would need to vote for Pompeo’s nomination.

But that appears increasingly unlikely. GOP Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) has said he will oppose the nomination. 

Republicans hold a one-seat majority on the panel, meaning Pompeo would need to pick up at least one Democratic vote to be reported to the Senate floor favorably.

Shaheen and Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) were the only Democratic members of the panel to support Pompeo’s nomination to be CIA director and were viewed as his best chance to pick up support from Democrats during his committee vote.

But Kaine announced earlier this week that he would oppose Pompeo.

Shaheen added on Tuesday that she appreciates “his willingness to serve and his dedication as Director of the CIA” but “the secretary of State is a policy-making position.”

Though several liberal members of the panel have come out against his nomination, a few Democrats — including Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the ranking member — have yet to say how they’ll vote.

Corker noted that he wasn’t sure how a couple of Democrats on the panel would vote and declined to specifically say he would send Pompeo’s nomination to the floor regardless of the vote outcome.

But Republicans are expected to give Pompeo a vote before the full Senate even if he doesn’t win over support from a majority of the committee.

Tags Bob Corker Bob Menendez Jeanne Shaheen Mike Pompeo Rand Paul Tim Kaine

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