President-elect Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director nominee, Russell Vought, faced his confirmation hearing before the Senate on Wednesday.
Vought, who previously served in the same position in Trump’s first term, fought off several attacks from Senate Democrats, who accused him of a spectrum of offenses, including giving “really good bureaucratic answers” that they felt did not answer their questions.
‘I know that I did not find any outrage on the Democratic side with regard to President Biden’s actions.’
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) kicked off the hearing by complaining about the expedited timeline to approve Vought’s appointment, claiming his record “raises serious concerns.”
Peters repeatedly claimed Vought violated the law, stating that he previously withheld funding that Congress appropriated.
“You designed the plan to abuse the National Emergency Act to circumvent laws passed by Congress by moving military construction money to build a border wall,” Peters said.
Vought fired back, calling it a “mischaracterization” and insisting he never broke any laws. He argued that the administration used the transfer authority that Congress provided the executive branch.
“It was specifically a transfer authority that Congress had given the president in the underlining appropriation,” he responded.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) accused Democrats of being “hypocritical” for not showing any outrage when President Joe Biden ignored a Supreme Court decision to prevent his federal student loan debt cancellation program.
“Do you find it hypocritical if you’re somebody who’s introduced legislation to forgive student debt and now is lecturing you about the executive overreach powers?” Moreno asked Vought.
“I know that I did not find any outrage on the Democratic side with regard to President Biden’s actions on that. I’ll just leave it at that,” Vought responded.
Several Democratic senators, including Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire and Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut, tried to claim that Vought and the Trump administration may try to withhold emergency funding from political rivals, such as California as it battles destructive fires.
Peters pressed Vought about whether he would comply with a congressional subpoena, claiming he did not in the past.
Vought responded, “As you know, the president [Trump] was being impeached at that time. The Office of Legal Counsel instructed the appointees of the executive branch, because their agency council were not going to be allowed to participate in those proceedings and therefore protect privileged information, not to go to the Hill.”
“So, of course, I will come to Congress if subpoenaed,” he concluded.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) defended Vought.
“I don’t think this committee wants to discuss who is and who isn’t willing to be able to come for hearings when last year, for the first time in 20 years, the Biden administration refused to come for the global threats hearing,” Lankford said.
Lankford slammed U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray for refusing to attend the hearing.
“I understand what happened during the impeachment time. That was a very unique moment that I hope is not repeated again, obviously, but this committee certainly has not had response from the Biden administration actually coming and appearing for this committee or delivering documents,” he added.
Trump nominated Vought in November, commending the former director for knowing “exactly how to dismantle the deep state and end weaponized government.”
Trump noted that, during his first term, Vought and the administration “cut four Regulations for every new Regulation,” calling it “a Great Success!”
“We will restore fiscal sanity to our Nation, and unleash the American People to new levels of Prosperity and Ingenuity,” he added.
Vought responded to Trump’s nomination, stating, “There is unfinished business on behalf of the American people, and it’s an honor of a lifetime to get the call again.”
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