Yup, Democrats Will Stall Trump’s Nominees at Every Turn

The new year began on a violent note, as a terror attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans left at least 14 dead and dozens injured. The suspect, reportedly inspired by ISIS, used firearms and an improvised explosive device.

The FBI bizarrely hesitated to immediately label it as terrorism. Meanwhile, a potential terror attack also unfolded in Las Vegas, where a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump Hotel. These incidents highlight America’s vulnerabilities and the need for strong leadership in federal law enforcement. As such, many were calling on the swift confirmation of Trump’s nominees to lead the Justice Department and the FBI.

“After what appears to potentially be an ISIS inspired terrorist attack last night in New Orleans, it's even more vital that we quickly confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” freshman Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said New Year’s Day. “Every single national security nominee should be confirmed & ready to protect America by January 20th.”

Well, despite the legitimate concerns, it looks like Democrats are prepared to stall Trump’s nominees. On Sunday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) stated on CNN’s “State of the Union” that there is no need to rush the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director. Klobuchar bizarrely argued that the FBI is “very functional” and does not require immediate leadership changes in light of these events.

“In light of the New Orleans terrorist attack, Trump allies are urging you and your colleagues in the Senate to move quickly on confirming the president elect’s national security team,” began host Jake Tapper. “You have signaled some opposition to Kash Patel serving as leader of the FBI but Republicans say delaying his confirmation will hurt operational security. How do you respond to that?”

“We have a very functional FBI right now that is investigating New Orleans, investigated, Las Vegas came out, told the public exactly what was going on,” she replied, which, of course, is not true.

For our VIPs: In the Wake of Terror Attacks, Delaying Trump’s Nominees Is Not an Option

“So I don’t believe that to be the case,” she contined. “I believe our job—we just took an oath—I just took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. We have a duty to advise and consent. A number of our Republican colleagues in the Senate agree. That’s why we must have an FBI check on Kash Patel and these other nominees for these very serious security positions. We must know what their background is. We must see their financial disclosure forms. The president-elect has put in a number of billionaires that could have all kinds of conflicts into these jobs. We must be able to see that.”

While no one is suggesting that the Senate’s constitutionally mandated roll of advice and consent be skipped, the fact is that Democrats have fast-tracked their own party’s nominees—even those where were grossly unqualifed—into important positions. I think it’s extremely fair to say that Democrats blindly approved of Joe Biden’s unqualified nominees, letting diversity considerations take precedent over qualifications, giving us one of the the worst presidential cabinets in American history, if not the worst. Mayor Pete Buttigieg quickly proved himself to be out of his depth as secretary of Transportation, Alejandro Mayorkas was a complete disaster with the border, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also proved to be incompetent. Yet, every single Democratic senator supported Biden’s nominees without question.

Delaying Trump’s nominees not only risks leaving America vulnerable but also disregards the voters’ demand for a secure and effective government. It’s time for Democrats to set partisanship aside and prioritize the nation’s safety. Yet, Klobuchar is clearly signalling that they won't do that.