U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Thursday accused a Democratic colleague of being disingenuous for blocking President Donald Trump’s State Department nominees after calling Tuberville a “maniac” for holding up military promotions under Joe Biden’s presidency.
“It’s all for show up here,” Tuberville tweeted in response to a story on the holds placed by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. “Theatre. Fake outrage.”
During a speech on the Senate floor in July 2023, Schatz called out Tuberville for months-long hold on hundreds of military nominees over the Pentagon’s abortion policy, accusing Alabama’s senior senator of abusing the upper chamber’s advice and consent role.
“Yes, every senator has enormous power. I can probably block the defense bill this week if I wanted to. But I won’t. You know why? Because I’m not a maniac,” Schatz said. “Because I understand that when you vest someone through your voters with this kind of power you have to be very careful with how you exercise it.”
Schatz could not be reached for comment on Tuberville’s tweet.
In February, the Hawaii senator announced a “blanket hold” on Trump’s nominees to the State Department until the administration’s ”illegal attempt to shutter the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as an independent agency is reversed.”
During his July 2023 floor speech, Schatz said he blocked “one or two things” in his Senate career, adding that Tuberville’s maneuver was unheard of.
“When I block something, people know I’m serious. And I have never — and I know no one … the current 100 senators, besides Sen. Tuberville, and no one else before him — I’ve never seen this in my life,” he said.
“Sen. Tuberville is mad about an abortion issue, and so he’s preventing all of these general and flag officers from getting their promotions. It’s bad for morale, it’s bad for the chain of command” and military families, Schatz said.
“It’s got to end. It’s bad for the country, it’s bad for the Senate, and it’s bad for the United States armed forces.”
Tuberville’s 10 months-long hold on more than 425 military promotions requiring Senate confirmation was made in protest of the Pentagon reimbursing travel expenses for abortions.
The holds raised concerns at the Pentagon about military readiness and top military leaders, including then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who warned that Tuberville’s hold could have led to the loss of military talent.
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