Biden struggling to get nominees over the finish line despite Senate majority

The Biden administration is struggling to receive nominations over the finish line in a series of contentious confirmation steps, despite benefiting from many of the benefits that come with holding the Democrat majority in the Senate.

When President Joe Biden withdrew from awareness on Monday amid examination of his record, he became the latest victim of the polarized environment and was chosen to lead the Federal Aviation Administration.

A MICHIGAN REPUBLICAN PARTY President THINKS ABOUT WHILE BLOWING MORE Winning RACES

The FAA candidate Phillip Washington had trouble making it through earlier this month’s validation hearing. During a conversation with Sen. Ted Budd( R – NC ), Washington repeatedly admitted that he lacked the knowledge to respond to questions about technical aspects of air safety. He also neglected to address questions from Sener Ted Cruz( TX ) about what went wrong during two commercial airline crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving Boeing models that the FAA had deemed safe to fly.

He does not have years of air experience, in contrast to many FAA administrators. Cruz and Budd had stated in an op-ed published last week in the Washington Examiner that” Washington has always flown a plane, previously worked for an flight, and never works for company that manufactures or maintains aircraft.” However, he does have some social ties. He made a donation to the Biden strategy, served as co-chair of its facilities policy committee, and oversaw the transition team for the Department of Transportation under the leadership of the biden administration.

Washington’s departure follows the demise of yet another well-known this nomination this month. Gigi Sohn, who Biden nominated for a position on the Federal Communications Commission, had fought for weeks to get past the attention of her prior engagement that was progressive.

During the Senate confirmation process, her social media posts— including a tweet she shared that referred to former President Donald Trump as” raggedy white supremacist president” and one in which she asserted Fox News is” dangerous to democracy”— became problematic.

Sen. Joe Manchin( D-WV ) effectively defeated Sohn’s nomination when he declared his inability to support Sohn.

Sen. Jim Risch( R-ID ) questioned Biden about her views on Israel in January, prompting her to withdraw from consideration for a top human rights position at the State Department.

That came after a string of similar nominations that failed to be confirmed and withdrew last summer, including the chief of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Office of Management and Budget Controller, head of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, and the best electrical position in the Energy Department.

However, due to discussion they’ve sparked or legal issues, even more nominees are currently stuck in a limbo.

When Charnelle Bjelkengren, who was nominated by Biden to serve as a U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Washington, failed to respond to Sen. John Kennedy‘s( R – LA ) fundamental inquiries about the articles of the Constitution during her hearing, her chances of confirmation were jeopardized.

During his confirmation hearing last month, Kennedy questioned Kato Crews, who had been nominated by Biden for the U.S. District Court in the District of Colorado.

Crews was unable to define the so-called Brady movement, which is the legal requirement that prosecutors give defense attorneys access to potentially beneficial evidence.

Democrats have pushed back against Michael Delaney, the candidate for the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, because of his name on a 2005 legal long defending an old New Hampshire legislation that mandates minors inform their families before having an abortion.

Beyond the contentious models, all judicial nominees have had a difficult time moving forward because of Sen. Dianne Feinstein‘s protracted absence from the Senate Judiciary Committee due to illness. After Biden secured a sizable number at the beginning of his presidency, the traditional” blue slip” policy — an informal practice on the committee that permits senators to hold up nominees in their home states— has also slowed the pace of judicial confirmations.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville( R – AL ) has caused delays for Pentagon nominees in recent weeks. In opposition of the government’s decision to for holiday for service members seeking abortions, Tuberville has prevented more than 150 confirmations and promotions at the Department of Defense over the past month.

Tuberville, a resident of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated earlier this month that he is holding the DOD votes because the secretary of defense is attempting to expand taxpayer-funded abortions without consulting this individual or Congress.

Republicans have criticized Colleen Shogan, Biden’s choice to lead the National Archives, for her social media posts and views of her as a political nomination for an impartial position.

Despite examples of posts in which Shogan criticized Republicans, Sen. Josh Hawley( R-MO ) has accused her of lying under oath by claiming that her social media presence was apolitical and benign.

A journalist who collaborated with Shogan at the Congressional Research Service has already made accusations against her. She allegedly acted in an” abusive” and” partisan” manner, according to the whistleblower.

Nevertheless, earlier this month, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced her candidacy.

TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER, Press HERE.

The path to validation may be challenging for the time being, especially for nominees who make it out of council. Sen. John Fetterman( D-PA ) has also been hospitalized for several weeks, costing Democrats a second vote that could be crucial in close nomination contests.

In spite of the breaks, Vice President Kamala Harris helped confirm a criminal candidate in earlier March, so she has already had to break the knot this month.