Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has had it up to here with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
In a fiery floor speech on Thursday, Schatz went after Hawley for vowing to block all Defense Department nominees until there was "a change" in broader foreign policy, Politico and Mediaite report.
For context, Hawley announced in September he'd be placing holds on civilian nominees to the departments of Defense and State until their respective secretaries — Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken — resigned, per Mediaite.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And on Thursday, after blocking nominee Christopher Lowman — President Biden's pick for assistant secretary for sustainment — Hawley claimed U.S. foreign policy has a "Joe Biden problem," and vowed to continue holding nominees "until there is accountability, until we have a change in policy," per Politico.
But Schatz wasn't buying the (what he called) "completely ridiculous" and "preposterous" revolt.
The Missouri congressman is "damaging the Department of Defense," Schatz said in his Thursday tirade. "And this comes from a guy who raised his fist in solidarity with the insurrectionists. ... This comes from a guy who just about a month ago voted against Ukraine aid!"
"He's saying it's going too slow. He voted 'no'!" Schatz continued. "He voted 'no' on Ukraine aid and now he has the gall to say it's going too slow!"
"And this final insult is that until, what, Secretary Austin resigns? That's not a serious request," Schatz went on.
The Hawaii lawmaker would rather Hawley "spare me the new solidarity with the Ukrainians and with the free world" because his record "is exactly the opposite," Schatz concluded.
Watch the full moment:
-
Denmark’s record-setting arms purchase raises eyebrows and anxietyIN THE SPOTLIGHT By eschewing American-made munitions for their European counterparts, the Danish government is bracing for Russian antagonism and sending a message to the West
-
Is hate speech still protected speech?Talking Points Pam Bondi's threat to target hate speech raises concerns
-
‘Mental health care is health care’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
