Senate finally starts hearings on top Biden nominees
Democrats now one day away from control of Congress, White House
With only one day until the inauguration, Senate confirmation hearings begin today for the Biden Cabinet. A Defense Secretary flip flop from Democrats. And Pelosi wants a probe of Trump & Putin. This is "Regular Order" for January 18, 2021.
BIDEN NOMINATION HEARINGS. In the modern presidency, we have never seen the Senate stiff-arm a President-Elect like this before. Republican Senators - many not willing to reject President Trump's bogus claims of election fraud - will finally hold nomination hearings today on five of Joe Biden's Cabinet picks. Four years ago, the Republican-led Senate held hearings on 12 Trump nominees before Inauguration Day.
AM HIGHLIGHTS. Three confirmation hearings are set for 10 am ET: Janet Yellen for Secretary of Treasury, Alejandro Mayorkas to be Secretary of Homeland Security, and Avril Haines to be Director of National Intelligence. Wall Street will be listening closely as Yellen testifies on the U.S. economy; Mayorkas could be asked about inaugural threats and the Capitol attack.
PM EXACTA. The pair of afternoon hearings will focus on two of the biggest Cabinet posts for any new administration. Tony Blinken has been tapped as Secretary of State, and Lloyd Austin for the job of Secretary of Defense. The Blinken hearing starts at 2 pm. Austin's confirmation hearing is at 3 pm.
LEGISLATIVE NERD NOTE. Austin cannot be confirmed as Defense Secretary until the Congress approves a special exemption. Just like James Mattis in 2017, Austin has not been out of the military for seven years, as required under federal law to serve as SecDef. It's not clear when that bill will be acted upon by the House and Senate.
DEMS FLIP FLOP. Four years ago, many Democrats opposed the Mattis waiver. But now that their party's President needs an exemption for his Pentagon pick, some are singing a different tune. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced a waiver bill quietly on Friday, H.R. 335. And others are explaining their change of heart.
HARRIS RESIGNS SENATE SEAT. Two days before becoming Vice President, Kamala Harris on Monday resigned her seat in the U.S. Senate. "Serving as your Senator has been an honor," Harris said in a recorded video. "But this is not a goodbye." Harris will be sworn in just minutes before Joe Biden on Wednesday.
THREE NEW DEMS. Replacing Harris is Alex Padilla, the California Secretary of State. Padilla will be joined by two other new Senators from Georgia, Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Their arrivals will make the Senate a 50/50 split, and give control to Democrats with Harris' tie-breaking VP vote.
A CAPITOL FENCE. After a bomb exploded near the Senate chamber in 1983, the House Sergeant At Arms proposed building a security fence around the Capitol. The idea went nowhere. But after the Capitol attack, the fence idea is back. Freshman Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has proposed H.R. 339, which would 'install an appropriate fence around the perimeter of the United States Capitol.'
MORE SECURITY. Rep. Torres and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) have also introduced a bill to designate the counting of electoral votes in Congress to be a 'National Special Security Event.' In other words, the usually ceremonial gathering would get extra federal security efforts in the future.
BOEBERT DENIES INVOLVEMENT. A GOP lawmaker who tweeted out the movements of Speaker Pelosi during the Capitol attack says she's done nothing wrong. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said Democrats have "spread lies" about her. Boebert denies she gave a Capitol tour to people later involved in the violence. "These lies are irresponsible and dangerous," Boebert tweeted on Monday.
NCIS CAPITOL HILL. One of the weekend arrests in the Capitol attack involved a little undercover work. A confidential human source for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (yes, just like the TV show) secretly recorded a conversation with the subject, to leading to an arrest in New Jersey.
LONG ARM OF THE LAW. An Iowa man was arrested after talking to the press. An Ohio militia “Oath Keeper” was arrested. So was a Texas man who threatened his kids to keep quiet. And two off duty cops from Virginia, one of whom said ‘we actually attacked the government who is the problem.’
FACE TO REMEMBER. A Capitol attack suspect from Colorado.
INAUGURATION COUNTDOWN. One of the fun things not available for the public this year - because of the strict security - is the practice sessions for the inaugural. It’s just crazy to think how hundreds of thousands of people usually show up for the swearing-in ceremonies - but won’t be allowed anywhere close this year.
TRUMP-PUTIN. This was definitely not on my 2021 Bingo Card. Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports a special panel - like the 9/11 Commission - to investigate President Trump's ties to Vladimir Putin. "With you, Mr. President, all roads lead to Putin," Pelosi said in a podcast interview with - and tweeted out by - Hillary Clinton. It was then re-tweeted by a top Pelosi aide. Something to watch.
MUSE OF HISTORY. On this day in 2009, President-Elect Barack Obama joined in an inaugural eve, black tie dinner, to salute Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). “There are few Americans who understand this need for common purpose and common effort better than John McCain,” Obama said of his 2008 campaign opponent. “I'd like to close by asking all of you to join us in making this bipartisan dinner not just an inaugural tradition, but a new way of doing the people's business in this city,” Mr. Obama added. There is definitely no Biden-Trump black tie dinner tonight.
UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
House meets Tuesday at 1 pm.
Senate meets Tuesday at 12 noon.
President Trump is in Washington.
President-Elect Biden will be sworn in Wednesday at 12 noon.
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“Conference reports may be brought up at any time. Any further program will be announced later.”