Conservatives Holding Up Increasing Number of Key Obama Nominees

[HopeOverFear]

They're at it again.

In the last week alone, at least four separate nominees who thought they were on track to be approved will have to wait at least a few more weeks:

Department of Defense: Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced today that “they are blocking President Barack Obama’s nomination of Ashton Carter as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.” The senators want assurances that Carter will not “change the criteria” on which the Pentagon considers a refueling tanker contract that could benefit defense contractors in their state.

Department of Veterans Affairs: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) asked the Senate Veterans Affairs committee to delay voting on the “nomination of Tammy Duckworth, an injured Iraq war helicopter pilot, to be an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Contacted by ThinkProgress, Burr’s Press Secretary, David Ward said that Burr is waiting for the answers to several questions he’s put to the White House and Duckworth, but would not disclose what those questions were.

White House Office of Legal Council: Dawn Johnsen’s nomination as head of the OLC has been delayed in part because Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has ideological differences with her. As the Legal Times explained, “citing Johnsen’s criticisms of Bush national security policies, accused her of lacking ‘the seriousness and necessary resolve’ to fight terrorism,” while “other Republicans have targeted her work as legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America from 1988 to 1993.”

Department of State: Right wing commentators are working to block the appointment of Harold Koh to the State Deptment’s top legal adviser, smearing him as a “threat to democracy” for his being an international law expert. As the Century Foundation notes, “The fervent opponents of Harold Koh turn out to be enthusiastic defenders of John Yoo.”

[tibbiit]

1. How are they able to do this???

Do we not control the house and senate?
Why are we letting them do this?
tib

[Puzzler]

2. Yeah, how?

.

[Phx_Dem]

3. Obama needs to start publicly calling them out. n/t

[Skidmore]

4. Yup. Crony capitalism cuddles up to corrupt legislators.

[Deja Q]

5. Seconded.

In time, I'm sure he will. After reading the paper today, I was reminded of how MANY issues our President has to face. I have my worries, but I sure as frig need to stop worrying. It's a useless emotion to begin with, and he is incontrovertibly correct when he says we're all in this together.

[geckosfeet]

6. Recess appointments, coming up.

[DinahMoeHum]

7. Yep, two can play at that game. Bush used to do it.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[HopeOverFear]

9. Recess appointments?

[Bluenorthwest]

8. That whole bi-partisan thing really panned out well!

It was such a great idea!

[Starry Messenger]

10. Absolutely.

I can feel the warm glow of reachy-outyness from here.

[ShadowLiberal]

11. It's time we publicly shame some of these people for what they're doing

The Alabama senators are just asking for someone to get up in front of a camera and point to them as examples of corrupt politicians slowing things down, and wasting government money (those contracts they're worried about might well be ones that the government is overpaying on if they're so scared about them getting changed, why worry about changes if it'll boost spending?).