Mike Pompeo Confirmation Hearing

[dc2london]

Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold the committee level confirmation hearing to appoint Mike Pompeo as the next Secretary of State.

This could be an interesting hearing for a number of reasons.

Firstly, Republicans hold a razor-thin majority on this committee and Senator Rand Paul has already publicly vowed to oppose Mr. Pompeo's confirmation because of his views on torture and his positions on the Iraq War. If every Democrat and Rand Paul vote against confirmation, the nominee would be only the second ever referred to the full Senate unfavorably. During the confirmation process, the relevant committee has three options: Refer favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation. It remains to be seen whether all Democrats will remain united. Senator Tim Kaine, for example, voted in favor of Pompeo's confirmation as CIA Director.

Another potential issue for Pompeo is that journalists have uncovered a sizable financial entanglement that he neglected to report during his nomination process for CIA. 

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the full Senate will vote to confirm--but it would be historic and shocking to see the committee report unfavorably. There's an argument to be made against kneecapping an incoming Secretary of State at a time when our standing abroad is perilous at best. But there's also the fact that Pompeo is objectively terrible.

Anyway, that's my School House Rock schpiel for the day. I'll be sharing important or interesting tidbits here throughout the hearing, as toddlers allow.

[athn64]

I hope theyput him through the wringer.

[dc2london]

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Membership

Chairman: Bob Corker (R-TN)
Ranking Member: Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

Majority:

Jim Risch (R-ID)
Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Ron Johnson (R-WI)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Cory Gardner (R-CO)
Todd Young (R-IN)
John Barrasso (R-WY)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Rob Portman (R-OH)
Rand Paul (R-KY)

Minority:

Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Ed Markey (D-MA)
Jeff Merkeley (D-OR)
Cory Booker (D-NJ)

[blurnette989]

I will be disappointed if Kaine votes in support of Pompeo.

[dc2london]

I don't feel that Jeff Flake and Bob Corker particularly care whether they anger Trump, so I'm very interested to see how they conduct themselves during this.

[dc2london]

Apr 12, 2018 8:13:45 GMT -6 blurnette989 said:

I will be disappointed if Kaine votes in support of Pompeo.

For SoS I don't think he will bc he's flatly unqualified.

[jkjacq]

It amazes me that that Risch in on foreign relations considering he spent most of his life in Idaho.

Also protestors!!

[dc2london]

the protesters are mad. Much shouting. Pompeo is a Koch lackey so I'm not at all surprised by this.

There are also groups present demanding regime change in Iran and NK. Pompeo supports both.

[dc2london]

Corker likes the protesters and said that he really likes the and doesn't want them to get arrested. lol.

[jkjacq]

Corker can no longer have people unarrested for protesting.  

[dc2london]

oh man. When you bring Bob Dole to recommend you for a cabinet position, it's not looking good for you.

[dc2london]

Senator Roberts says Pompeo is a "statesman" who listens to others and can build compromise.

lol. Yeah. Captain Benghazi who wants to throw all the brown people in GITMO. Uh huh.

[dc2london]

That's one arrest.

ETA: She served 29 years in the US Army and as a diplomat for 16 years and is tired of stupid wasteful wars. Good for her.

[dc2london]

As the protester is escorted from the hearing room, Senator Corker says to Senator Roberts, "I'm sure you have a lot of these types of incidents over soybeans on the Agriculture Committee"

[jkjacq]

Was she yelling something about Jesus?

They are in a pretty jokey mood.

[jkjacq]

Apr 12, 2018 8:28:47 GMT -6 dc2london said:

As the protester is escorted from the hearing room, Senator Corker says to Senator Roberts, "I'm sure you have a lot of these types of incidents over soybeans on the Agriculture Committee"

Roberts response about that being him when talking to Potus about tariffs was a good comeback

[dc2london]

Senator Burr gave quite the glowing character reference there.

[dc2london]

Corker's having a go at Trump over his irresponsible words and impulsiveness.

[dc2london]

Corker tells Pompeo that the committee needs to know if he will be a Trump adviser or a Trump sycophant.

[dc2london]

Menendez: "President Trump has abandoned the very democratic ideals" upon which America was founded.
"Let me be clear: Members of this committee expect every Secretary of State to support our State Department diplomats."r
"Will you enable President Trump's worst instincts? Will you advocate for strategy to protect United States safety and interests?...will you take America to unnecessary and costly wars? Will you stand up to President Trump?...This is not a time for taunts and tweets."

[dc2london]

Menendez: Trump calls a warrant-based search an attack on our country, but refuses to speak ill of Putin.

[dc2london]

interesting. He must have met with Hillary to discuss the job.

[dc2london]

Pompeo: I'm a movie buff. I have a soft spot for my Golden Retriever. I was employee of the month TWICE at Baskin Robbins. I love meatballs. And I'm good at cornhole.

hahahaha nice.

[dc2london]

Pompeo: I like to "get my hands dirty. You will seldom find me ensconced on the executive floor of any building."

I'd be interested to hear whether the employees from his aerospace company would agree with that.

[hufflepug]

Wonder if that comment about preferring face to face convos to emails was intentional shade at HRC wrapped in a folksy bow or not.

Who am I kidding. It was intentional.

[dc2london]

Pompeo commits to filling the vacancies in Foggy Bottom and ending the sentiment bred under Tillerson that career diplomats are "irrelevant."

[dc2london]

Pompeo: Diversity, of every kind, is critical in any agency or company.

One of the best things a leader can do is to listen.

[enchanted]

Apr 12, 2018 8:38:10 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Corker tells Pompeo that the committee needs to know if he will be a Trump adviser or a Trump sycophant.

I wouldn't say I like Corker now, but my hatred is considerably less recently.

[dc2london]

He wrapped up his opening testimony. He's certainly got the folksy Kansas thing nailed. He did a nice job respecting the solemn duty put upon the Secretary of State. We'll see how this goes.

[dc2london]

Menendez comes in swinging about Russia.