E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSUpdated, 5:33 pm ET, Feb. 6. The Senate Armed Services Committee may delay the committee vote on the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to be the next defense secretary.
That vote was expected tomorrow. However, Republicans say the former Republican Nebraska senator has not provided all of the vetting materials requested about some his past speeches and finances, and they are looking into a complaint by a former Hagel staffer that she was harassed by another staffer.
Hagel's explanation is that some of those materials are the property of organizations with whom he has worked. But Democrats see the attempts as an effort to try and get President Obama to withdraw Hagel, something seen as unlikely.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is among those Republicans who have explicitly asked the president to "reconsider" the choice of Hagel.
"I don't think he's done anything unethical," Graham said. "He got paid to speak in front of groups; that's a common practice around here. I want to know who did he speak in front of, what did he say, and where did the money come from?"
Hagel said at his confirmation hearing that he does not have all of the speeches because he delivered many of them extemporaneously.
The White House reacted to the potential delay, calling for the Senate to "move quickly," per NBC's Kristen Welker.
"We continue to expect the Senate to move quickly to confirm Sen. Hagel as our next Secretary of Defense," an official said in a statement. "Since his confirmation hearing, more Senators on both sides of the aisle have announced their support for his confirmation, including Sens. [Mike] Johanns [R-NE], Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY], [Tom] Udall [D-CO], [Kay] Hagan [D-NC], and [Richard] Blumenthal [D-CT]. It's clear that Senator Hagel has significant support in the Senate. So with 66,000 troops serving in Afghanistan and other Defense issues to deal with, it's time to move beyond these distractions and move forward with a vote on his nomination."
But without an opportunity to review all the requested information about Hagel's background and views contained in his past speeches, some Republican members have raised concerns and want more time.
Graham supports a delay. "You do have the ability to stop the nomination from going forward to get the information," he said. "I would be willing to do that. I would vote against a motion to proceed until I feel like we have the information that we need to make an informed decision."
Tomorrow, the committee will hear from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey on the Benghazi attacks. Their appearance and testimony before a Hagel vote was one condition requested by Graham in order to leverage more access to information about the deadly attack in Libya. Graham said he would seek to put a hold on Hagel's confirmation vote until Panetta testified.
A decision on timing for the committee vote belongs to committee chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) who aides say is "working very hard to try to address and resolve those concerns today, so the committee can go forward with the vote tomorrow."
However, Levin's office acknowledges that it is unclear now if the vote will go forward as originally planned.
"We were supposed to vote tomorrow," Graham said, "but I think we should wait."
Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) told The Cable Tuesday that Republicans also are awaiting the results of a their investigation into a claim by a former Hagel staffer of sexual harassment by another staffer in 2007.
"I remember handling it, I thought it was handled," Lou Ann Linehan, Hagel's chief of staff at the time, told The Cable. "I did not bring it to the senator. I would not have taken it to the senator unless it required a termination and that wasn't the case. The term sexual harassment shocks me a little bit. I wouldn't have put up with anything that was actually sexual harassment. I had a very low tolerance for it. I don't put up with that stuff. Hagel didn't tolerate it, I didn't tolerate it."
Leave a Comment:
At this point, "stupid" would be a step UP for obstructionists like Lindsay Graham.. The are SO stupid they still cannot deal with the fact that Obama won re-election.
Won re-election with the lowest approval ratings since world war II...Thanks, slugo!!!!
Graham is up for re-election next year so he will be making a lot of noise to gain microphone and camera exposure. Bunking with John McCain may not work to his favor as McCain has nothing to lose ~ he is serving his last six years of a recent contract renewal. I really don't blame Graham as much as I do Harry Reid. He hasn't a single hair on his aged old ass and for certain doesn't know how to exploit a majority. Graham, McCain, McConnell, Cornyn, and now Cruz own him ~ and he hasn't the guts to take them on. Some majority leader. He wets the floor at the first sign of confrontation.
I watched Hagel's confirmation hearings and was not convinced that he had the depth and skill set of Leon Panetta. He seemed a bit confused and overwhelmed. Also, not clear about his views on projecting American power to protect US citizens and US companies. For example, if there was another Algerian gas field incident, would Hagel be right person to be on point? I'd prefer they left Panetta in place until someone with a little more depth and stability is identified.
After this, it's no wonder why William Weld didn't want to run for Senator in Massachusetts. He was victimized much like this in 96 when Clinton tapped him for Ambassador to Mexico.
Wiliam Weld also knew his drunken behavior at a concert ended any chance of ever getting another win here. Who wants someone who barfs on themselves at a concert. Full disclosure: A frat brother and I ran Weld's campaign against Frank Bellotti for Attorney General in western massachusetts. Mea Culpa.
I watched Hagel in the confirmation hearings and he seemed confused and overwhelmed. Not clear that he is the right person for the role. He does not appear to have Leon Panetta's authority and presence, nor does he appear inclined to project American power to protect US citizens and their property. If there was another Algerian gas field situation, would Chuck Hagel be the right person to be on point? I would suggest that Panetta remain in place until a better candidate is provided.
I hope Lindsey keeps it up. That way we can get rid of him and he will be replaced by a democrat because the teaparty candidate who defeats him in the primary will probably be at least as stupid as the "legitimate rape" boys from Indiana and Missouri.
A Democrat won't win in South Carolina as its still part of America. Now if Graham moved to Chicago that would be different.
I agree, in part with Ski Bum. A democrat won't win in SC. Entirely too many bubbas in SC. SC will have them a new teabagging gun licker in 2014.
They do have a few less nignogs!!!
I don't know if Hagel is qualified or not. He is a combat veteran which makes him more qualified than Graham as far as I am concerned. I do know that I am really tired of all these people. More than anything else I resent having to pay their salaries with my tax dollars. They worry about my money being wasted on the poor. I worry about it being wasted on them.
Any excuse is better than none but it is a losing battle. It didn't matter who was nominated some congressmen would have opposed it if Obama had made the nomination. It Obama not a democratic president.
I don't know what the problem is? Hagel is a dirtbag amd democrats love their dirtbags. He is more than willing to gut the defense department and leave our country exposed to it's enemies, these are things important to democrats.
Every budding Stalin/Obama needs a few lackeys to do his bidding, especially when he is off in Vegas with JZ sipping gin and juice.
He was Mitts first choice too...guess Mittens hates Your Meerka!
And smoking weed and eating dog, less you forget???
I have a question for your saber rattlers ~ since we have been spending almost a trillion dollars annually on defense and intelligence, just what the fu*k did we get for our money if cutting back now will leave us "exposed" to our enemies? It would then appear that we have pissed away a lot of money with nothing to show for it. If it required $850-billion annually to keep up our defenses, I suggest we need some new management that knows how to get some bang for our billions of bucks. We heard this same bull@!$%# argument about our "emaciated military and CIA" when Clinton was in office ~ but Bubba's boy Rumsfeld said we could wage war on two fronts ~ simultaneously ~ with no problems ~ ~ ~ ~ and we did! There wasn't a damned thing wrong with our Intel. The problem came when it couldn't find anyone with enough ordinary intelligence to pay attention to the warnings. Defense should be cut. A 25% reduction in funding would be a good starting point.
In 1998 there were 470 bases in 63 countries with 1.3 million staff and an operating budget of 470 billion
In 2011 there are over 900 bases in over 130 countries with over 2.5 million in staff at a budget of over 800 billion per year.
If you look at a world map....these bases just happen to consistently be near large natural resources whether water, mineral or oil.
These bases are the leading cause for us to lend "Foreign Aid" - because without the payoff to the host country they would not allow it. Foreign aid is not foreign aid - it's rent due.
We do not need 900 or more military installations across the globe; unless of course the Republican desire is to rule the world.
Time for America to be a bit more centric in its holdings.....We could easily cut back to the 1998 positions with-out sacrificing security....and save 400 billion a year doing it.
Lindsay Graham has a Pink AR-15
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa.......hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!
A well lubed one!!!!!!!
My guess is the lube allowed you to benefit fully from the bran you ate.
Lindsay Graham is a self loathing transgender creep.
While I admire Hagel and his service to our country, and I initially thought he might be a good choice, until I watched him at his confirmation. He was ill prepared,rambling, lacked focus, a truly awful performance. He had to be handed a note from a Congressional aide correcting him on what the policy of the current administration towards Iran was. I think he will make it through but he did not help himself at all.
LAZLONG.....He is a bafoon... He will fit in nicely with our dog eater in chief!!!!
What a laff riot. I bet you have a million of them. Spare the rest of us, would you?
lazlong....You sound like your discribing Eric Holder!!!!!!!!!!Lmao
Wow dude, really hateful and angry huh?
Ring for the nurse and calm down.
Hagel is a repubs himself, yet all the repubs quickly turned on him as soon as president blackenstein touched him... I guess his cooties is really powerful.....
--- Bill Maher (paraphrased)
Again, Willard said he would appoint the same man.
the Repugnant party is against anything the President
proposes.
Grahamspeak interpreted: "Senator Hagel hasn't done anything wrong ethically, but he did have the temerity to imply that I was wrong about the Iraq war. He'd be fine had he just kept his opinion to himself. Plus, he doesn't toe the Tea Party line on foreign policy. That a Democrat who kicked our rears last fall nominated him is irrelevant because the real issue is that I don't want to get primaried. I mean, we all know that if there's one thing a US Senator wants more than anything else -- and I mean anything -- it's to keep being a US Senator. So, President Obama should withdraw the name of a completely qualified candidate to help me out. Me having been such a loyal supporter and all."
Put it off GOP, delay,say NO,, while the rest of America tries to do our jobs and make things better in the USA. What part of getting something done and actually helping the country don't you republicans get. We are not asking what our country can do for us but what we can do for the country!!!! and the GOP is doing what???? The House is doing WHAT??? Discussing and delaying!!!!! Fire them,VOTE THEM OUT!!!! TERM LIMITS!!!!! FREEDOM!!!!!
Hagel will be confirmed. Graham and Company have to play their games ~ so what else it new? One can't really blame Graham and McCain for using the nomination for personal/party advantage. The one to blame is Harry Reid for allowing it to happen. He controls the Senate calendar and Democrats hold the majority. Senate rules require only a majority vote of those present to amend ~ yet we get this luke warm, watered down filibuster agreement so as not to upset Mitch McConnell. Reid is the sorriest excuse for a Senate majority leader in my lifetime ~ and that spans 75 years. He needs to be replaced with someone who has the stomach for a fight. Quite obviously, he doesn't.
What a crock. An investigation into an allegation by one staffer by another staffer is holding up a cabinet confirmation vote? Really? These freakin GOP are really getting desperate.
Yet another shining example of blackmail by the pseudo-conservative GOP (Gaudy Outdated Pusillanimous) party.
It isn't up to us to approve or disapprove of Chuck Hagel. A cabinet position has always been the choice of the president of the United States. It's his prerogative. And unless the nominee is guilty of some flagrant act of misbehavior, the president has always gotten his pick. There has never been a filibuster of a cabinet nominee in the country's history, and there won't be one now.
Hagel will get his post. But it's to the GOP's advantage to delay because the additional sense of disorganization works to the advantage of the Tea Party types in Washington and elsewhere. It keep the public in a crisis mode. And when you're in a crisis, radical solutions sound more reasonable.
Of course, it's too bad that Hagel didn't perform better at his hearings. Maybe Obama should have nominated a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I thought Hagel did fairly well considering the blistering attack launched against him.
I wonder how Donald Rumsfeld performed. Nobody was paying much attention because in those years the president could pick whoever he thought would be a good man in the post and this childish jabbering hadn't yet become the tradition that it is now.
They can't stop his approval ...they don't have the votes.
So they delay.
Slimy cowards
Feisty ..............please a fan club ??? WOW that is sooo impressive ! all you need to do now is run for office !! O.K. so we all know Feisty redhead is your stage name do have real names ???????????? or Social security number ??? pay taxes ???
Come on !! a real name isn't to much to ask of intelligent Dem's is it !!!!!
I bet they would give the nod to Karl Rove, LOL.
Wow Ed you really have some major issues huh?
Just because you have a tiny little itty bitty play thing in
your pants is no reason to be so angry at the world or Feisty.
It's a well known fact that Repugnant Teabaggers are so inadequate
and self hating that they can only get off by screaming at the comment sections
of the MSNBC site.
The inescapable death spiral of our once great and good nation continues. Hagel will be confirmed even though he couldn't defend or define his own thought processes, even though his handlers had to correct his responses on more than one occasion, and even though he is obviously an anti-semitic tthinker. He is a lightweight in all regards.
These Republicans are doing their level best to DERAIL Hagels Confirmation. Carl Levin should force them to vote against Hagel. They have enough Dems and Republicans who will vote for him, regardless of McCain, Lindsay Graham , Cruz and Rubio, acting like CLOWNS.
These Republicans are doing their level best to DERAIL Hagels Confirmation. Carl Levin should force them to vote against Hagel. They have enough Dems and Republicans who will vote for him, regardless of McCain, Lindsay Graham , Cruz and Rubio, acting like CLOWNS.
I can almost guarantee, even after all of this information is given, the above NAMED CLOWNS will still VOTE against him.
You people don't get IT about these People, they would rather CHEW OFF A FOOT than do anything that is right for the Country, The Economy if it gives President Obama any recognition. They would rather DESTROY IT whether it is professional People's Integrity, Reputation, Intelligence, WHO ARE PART OF THE Obama Administration, or RE-TANKING THE ECONOMY, because of their Hatred for this President and Scoring Political Points.
To get the Debt Ceiling raised by Republicans in 2010, the Dems, caved ONCE AGAIN, and let the Republicans put in this SEQUESTER and now they are trying to Blame that on the President.
These Folks have become Pathological when it comes to President Obama. When will the Country see it.
Sexual harassment?! That's what Democrat Presidents do! Interns, movie stars, ..... it is what it is. Obama doesn't care how many women the guy harassed. He'd just be following in Clinton's footsteps.