Republican senator offers Democrat a 'Valium,' sets off fight in finance committee


Steven Mnuchin's Senate confirmation hearing for treasury secretary began Thursday with an eruption, when Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) mockingly offered Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) a Valium pill.
"Sen. Wyden, I've got a Valium pill here you might want to take before the second round. Just a suggestion," Roberts said, offering up the medication that is typically used to treat anxiety.
"Just another suggestion, we've got a lot of colleagues waiting, if you could be brief it would be helpful," Wyden shot back.
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"Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman. I hope that comment about Valium doesn't set the tone for 2017," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) broke in as Roberts began to speak again. "I like Sen. Roberts, but I can't quite believe he would say that to a distinguished senator from Oregon."
"I said that to the president of the United States!" Roberts shouted back, setting off a flurry of argument in the room. When Roberts got the floor again he apologized for incurring Brown's "wrath."
"We have many colleagues waiting — " Wyden again interrupted.
"Fine Ron!" Roberts said. "I'm done."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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