Staff Reports
In a thrilling display of bureaucratic wrangling, Senate Democrats just made it abundantly clear they’re not too keen on Pete Hegseth stepping into the shoes of Defense Secretary. This spectacular showdown comes amidst a backdrop of even juicier delays plaguing the confirmations of President-elect Donald Trump’s other nominees. It’s almost like they’re trying to turn Washington into a game of musical chairs, but the music just won’t start.
Reports indicate that senators are twiddling their thumbs due to missing documents for several nominees. In a place where paperwork seems to carry more weight than actual governance, it’s no surprise that important confirmations have ground to a halt. Veterans’ Affairs nominee Doug Collins and Interior nominee Doug Burgum found themselves in limbo, with hearings initially scheduled for Tuesday now swept under the bureaucratic rug. It appears the Senate is waiting for the necessary paperwork, but one can only wonder if they misplaced it in the pile of unopened holiday cards or leftover budget proposals.
Oh, nothing, just the FBI slow-rolling Trump nominee background paperwork.
“@KristiNoem becomes third Trump nominee to have hearing delayed because of FBI: report”https://t.co/eXfkRlDsUo
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) January 15, 2025
Even Kristi Noem, the sharp-minded Republican governor of South Dakota, is caught in the crossfire. Despite completing her paperwork like an overachieving student handing in an assignment early, she, too, found her confirmation hearing stalled. The Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is still on the hunt for the FBI’s all-important green light, which, in this case, seems as elusive as a snowstorm in the desert.
At the forefront of this frustration stands Kansas Republican Senator Jerry Moran, the chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Moran has expressed his exasperation with the hapless FBI and its slow-paced ballet of background checks. It’s as if the FBI has transformed itself into a tortoise trying to navigate through molasses. By all accounts, Collins has been open and forthcoming throughout the process, yet the committee is left twiddling thumbs while waiting for a file that for some reason feels like it’s being delivered by a snail with a broken leg.
To add a pinch of irony, the delays aren’t just due to the FBI’s leisurely pace; a recent bout of snow in the nation’s capital has also contributed to the slow-motion spectacle. Washington D.C. saw a charming half-foot of snow, which, believe it or not, seems to have halted the workings of the federal government. It leads to the uncomfortable yet comedic thought that the nation’s capital is possibly less efficient at handling nominations than a snow day is at handling a child’s excitement. And while the snow melts, it appears that the gridlock in confirming Trump’s nominees remains firmly frozen.
