Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), a key White House ally, offered a lukewarm statement on former Sen. Chuck Hagel, who was nominated as the next Secretary of Defense by President Obama on Monday.
“Chuck Hagel, as a former colleague and a patriot with a decorated service record, has earned the right to nothing less than a full and fair process in the Senate,” Schumer said. “I look forward to fully studying his record and exploring his views.”