Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) plans to break the law by participating in Senate confirmation hearings this week. Brittany, one of Sen. Blunt’s WDC office staff, stated by phone, “He [Senator Blunt] intends to break the law.” You read that right. Blunt’s staff came right out and admitted the Senator intends to break the law.
The Trump transition is anything but normal. Unfortunately, GOP Senators are willing to slide down the slippery slope to unethical behavior by joining Mr. Trump in ignoring the rule of law.
According to the Ethics in Government Act, nominees to Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed positions must obtain certification of their financial disclosure reports from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) prior to confirmation hearings. The GOP-controlled Senate has proceeded to schedule eight hearings the week of January 9. In a Letter to Senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren, the Director of OGE, Walter Shaub writes that none of these nominations have been certified by the OGE. In fact, he goes on to state that during a typical transition, the names of nominees are not released until “pre-cleared” by the OGE.
If you have not called your Senator to voice your dismay about rushing these confirmation hearings, do so right now. In fact, put your Senators’ WDC and local phone numbers in your contact list for future use. And, if you have called – Thank you and call again and again and again.