McConnell opposes Alabama Republican's blockade of military nominees over Pentagon abortion policy

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that he won’t support a fellow GOP senator’s blockade of military nominees, backing Democrats and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who have said that the holdup is harming national security.

Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville is objecting to the normally routine practice of confirming dozens of military nominations, a move that would force the Senate to hold potentially hundreds of votes to confirm non-controversial senior military officers. Tuberville has not backed down from his now-monthslong pledge to hold up the nominees over the Pentagon’s abortion policy, which provides travel funds and support for troops and dependents who seek abortions but are based in states where they are now illegal.

“No, I don’t support putting a hold on military nominations,” McConnell told reporters, in response to a question about Tuberville’s blockade. “I don’t support that. But as to why, you’ll have to ask Sen. Tuberville.”

McConnell’s comments have no practical effect on Tuberville’s holds, because any senator can hold up any Senate action. But the GOP leader's position further isolates the Alabama Republican as lawmakers and national security officials have said that the holdup may have dangerous effects.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mcconnell-opposes-alabama-republicans-blockade-220832376.html

[CurtEastPoint]

1. that fucker is still with us?

[LoisB]

2. I can't believe Tuberville thought of this on his own.

[DFW]

11. I agree. Tuberville couldn't tie his shoelaces on his own.

For that, you need an IQ in two digits.

[LoisB]

12. I agree.

[Chainfire]

3. Negotiating by taking hostages.

If we don't get our way we will blow up the economy and the military.

[Irish_Dem]

4. The GOP does not care about national security in the least.

Not at all important to them.

In fact, if they take money from China or Russia, that may be their goal.
Damage national security.

[Bev54]

5. Can someone explain how one person can hold up these nominees, for this long, when he is in

the minority. I understand the filibuster but didn't they go back to having to stand in the well to do that? This is not a democracy, this is a complete joke.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. I expect most nominees down at this level

are normally confirmed/approved by "unanimous consent". But if the unanimous consent motion is offered and there is an "objection", then that starts a longer process, often including a debate and then vote.

I'm not sure how much the process for military rank approvals align with regular nominee confirmations, but it's possible that if the paths are similar, he might send out some boilerplate questionnaire to each person requesting responses by some date. Right there is a delay. Then once the responses are received, if they are considered "acceptable", he might lift the hold, and that person moves forward to any debate and final vote. But if the responses are not "satisfactory", then additional questions/clarifications might be asked... and on and on to further delay.

IMHO, Tuberville belongs in prison for insurrection.

Donald Trump call to ‘strongest’ supporter Tommy Tuberville makes appearance at Jan. 6 committee hearing

Updated: Jul. 21, 2022, 9:08 p.m.|Published: Jul. 21, 2022, 8:37 p.m.



Howard Koplowitz | [e-mail]

Former President Donald Trump’s phone conversation with Sen. Tommy Tuberville was referenced during Thursday night’s Jan. 6 committee hearing as the panel gave a minute-by-minute accounting of Trump’s actions as the Capitol was breached.

The hearing also shed light on how dire the security detail for then-Vice President Mike Pence, who was presiding over the certification of the Electoral Count that afternoon in the Senate chamber, assessed the situation, with the detail asking their colleagues to say goodbye to their families on their behalf.

The committee noted that Pence was escorted out of the chamber and was just feet away from the armed rioters before he needed to be whisked away to another safe location. As Pence was evacuated from the chamber, Trump placed a call to Tuberville, “one of his strongest supporters in the Senate,” said Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., who sits on the Jan. 6 committee. “As Sen. Tuberville recalled, he had to end the call so he could evacuate the Senate chamber himself,” Luria said before playing footage of a television interview the senator gave recounting the conversation.

Trump “didn’t call my phone, he called somebody else, and they handed it to me and I basically told him, I said, ‘”Mr. President, we’re not doing much work right now because they just took our vice president out and a matter of fact, I’m going to hang up on you, I got to leave,’” Tuberville said. Trump had actually called Sen. Mike Lee, who handed the phone to Tuberville.

(snip)

https://www.al.com/politics/2022/07/donald-trump-call-to-strongest-supporter-tommy-tuberville-makes-appearance-at-jan-6-committee-hearing.html

[Bev54]

14. It seems that this has been going on for months, is the whole process at a standstill?

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Right now it is

that's why it's "news", which is ridiculous.

The DOD policy of allowing service members in states where abortions are banned, to travel to another state to obtain one, had been announced last October, and this past March, the intent was pretzel-twisted by Tuberville into this being "taxpayer-funded abortions" (which it's not - there is no money being given to pay for the procedure, just the travel, which would be no different than if a member needed a special medical procedure only available out of state, where the procedure might or might not be covered under the military health plans).

So basically, instead of unanimous consent approvals, it's a vote at a time -

Tuberville hold on military promotions splits Republicans, draws Pentagon ire

by Al Weaver - 03/29/23 6:00 AM ET

(snip)

Unless Tuberville relents, there’s little the military or senators on either side of the aisle can do. Without an agreement, each promotion is subject to a simple majority vote, and given Senate procedure, it would take weeks to finish the dozens of promotions the Defense Department needs approved.

(snip)

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3922704-tuberville-hold-on-military-promotions-splits-republicans-draws-pentagon-ire/

Carnival Cruz has also been known to put "holds" on stuff for ridiculous reasons.

[sarcasmo]

6. Football coach hates the troops.

[Marcuse]

7. Yet Tuberville won't block white supremacists.

Tuberville was given the opportunity to clarify comments he made to Alabama’s WBHM radio station on Monday when asked if white nationalists should be allowed to serve in the military. Referring to the Biden administration, Tuberville replied, “They call them that. I call them Americans.” [link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217907271|

[Cha]

8. Fuck the Racist POS tuberhead.

[keithbvadu2]

9. All three branches of government... "You know, the House, the Senate, and the executive."

All three branches of government...

“You know, the House, the Senate, and the executive.”

Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville botches history facts, including three branches of government

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10082987

[Midnight Writer]

10. "any Senator can hold up any Senate action". I think I spotted the problem here.

[Martin68]

16. So what?