Senate Republicans rip Tuberville as he foils votes on military promotions
Frustrations over the Alabama Republican's long hold on military promotions is boiling over in his own party
"Republican senators ran out of patience Wednesday night with Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville's monthslong hold on hundreds of military promotions," The Wall Street Journal reported. For more than four hours, a group of GOP senators, most with military backgrounds, staged a "dramatic showdown" on the Senate floor, bringing up 61 generals and admirals whose promotions Tuberville has blocked since February — and growing increasingly angry and caustic as Tuberville, who has no military experience, objected to confirmation votes for each officer.
The senators — Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) — said they agreed with Tuberville's objection to a Pentagon policy that supports female personnel who have to travel to get abortion services — but found his methods increasingly dangerous and counterproductive.
"Xi Jinping is watching this right now, going, 'I can't believe they're not letting these guys command,'" said Sullivan, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. "He's loving this. So is [Vladimir] Putin. ... How dumb can we be, man?"
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.
Graham, a retired Air Force officer explained that these nearly 400 officers will be forced out if their promotions linger too long. Despite Tuberville's continuing assertions to the contrary, "this is doing great damage to our military," he said. "I have been trying to work with you for nine months."
Ernst, a retired Army officer, said Tuberville had requested "that these nominations be brought to the floor and voted on individually," and now that they were, he was still blocking them. "I really respect men of their word," she said. "I do not respect men who do not honor their word."
Tuberville said Wednesday there is "zero chance" he lifts his hold until the Pentagon changes its policy.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) filed a motion Tuesday for the Senate to vote on three Tuberville-blocked nominees as early as Thursday — Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, Gen. David Allvin to run the Air Force, and Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney to fill the vacant No. 2 slot at the Marine Corps. That vacancy came into sharp relief this week when recently confirmed Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith collapsed Sunday of an apparent heart attack. Smith, who was listed in stable condition on Wednesday, had been doing the job of both commandant and assistant commandant since July, thanks to Tuberville's hold. "It is not sustainable," Smith said in September after describing his grueling schedule.
-
Political cartoons for February 21Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include consequences, secrets, and more
-
Crisis in Cuba: a ‘golden opportunity’ for Washington?Talking Point The Trump administration is applying the pressure, and with Latin America swinging to the right, Havana is becoming more ‘politically isolated’
-
5 thoroughly redacted cartoons about Pam Bondi protecting predatorsCartoons Artists take on the real victim, types of protection, and more
-
‘States that set ambitious climate targets are already feeling the tension’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why are election experts taking Trump’s midterm threats seriously?IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the president muses about polling place deployments and a centralized electoral system aimed at one-party control, lawmakers are taking this administration at its word
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
-
How are Democrats trying to reform ICE?Today’s Big Question Democratic leadership has put forth several demands for the agency
-
Democrats push for ICE accountabilityFeature U.S. citizens shot and violently detained by immigration agents testify at Capitol Hill hearing
-
‘Bad Bunny’s music feels inclusive and exclusive at the same time’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will Peter Mandelson and Andrew testify to US Congress?Today's Big Question Could political pressure overcome legal obstacles and force either man to give evidence over their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein?
