Senate Committee Approves Pompeo Nomination For Full Senate Vote

on May 11, 2017 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: Central IntelligenceæAgency Director Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee with the other heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building... WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: Central IntelligenceæAgency Director Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee with the other heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The intelligence officials were questioned by the committee during the annual hearing about world wide threats to United States' security. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
President Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a favorable recommendation, narrowly avoiding a rare rebuke as his confirmation heads to the full Senate.

Democrats put up stiff resistance and voted against Pompeo, who is now the CIA director. Only a last-minute switch from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul — whom Trump called before the vote — enabled Pompeo to win committee approval.

It would have been the first time since the committee starting keeping records in 1925 that a secretary of state nominee faced an unfavorable report.

Pompeo’s nomination now goes to the full Senate, where votes are tallying in his favor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he looks forward to voting to confirm Pompeo this week.

This post has been updated. 

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  1. From Reuters:

    The committee approved Pompeo’s nomination on a party-line vote, with all 11 Republicans backing him, nine Democrats opposed and one Democrat, Chris Coons, voting “present” because of Senate procedural rules.

    Yet another overwhelming vote of confidence.

    Anyone know why Coons didn’t just vote against the nomination? He’d already announced his opposition.

    Hell, it doesn’t matter as McTurtle already made the whole process nothing more than kabuki anyway.

  2. “Only a last-minute switch from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul — whom Trump called before the vote — enabled Pompeo to win committee approval.”

    Groucho: “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them, well…I have others.”

  3. Holy War or Bust!

  4. Ah, Rand, you’re just as brave as you are principled.

  5. People always get it wrong when it comes to libertarians. They don’t have principles. They have principals.

    Easy mistake to make.

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