Democrats, Do Your Job

Yesterday ‘Democrats Asked To Postpone A Senate Finance Committee Vote … To Protest The President,’ Today ‘Democrats … Boycotted’

Yesterday “Democrats asked to postpone a Senate Finance Committee vote on Treasury nominee Steven Mnuchin this afternoon so they could attend a candlelight vigil… Democrats asked to postpone a Senate Finance Committee vote on Treasury nominee Steven Mnuchin this afternoon so they could attend a candlelight vigil in response to President Donald Trump's travel restrictions, a spokeswoman for ranking member Ron Wyden said. ‘This delay will allow members to protest the president… while voting on Mr. Mnuchin’s nomination little more than 12 hours later,’ spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said.” (“Democrats Say Trump Travel Ban Vigil Behind Mnuchin Delay,” Politico Pro, 1/30/17)

Today “U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday boycotted a planned committee vote on two of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, Steve Mnuchin to be Treasury secretary and Tom Price to head the Health and Human Services department, delaying the vote.” (“Senate Democrats Boycott, Delay Committee Vote On Mnuchin, Price,” Reuters, 1/31/17)

• “Democrats had largely signaled they were prepared to vote Tuesday in the Senate Finance Committee against Mr. Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, and his pick for health and human services secretary, Rep. Tom Price.” (“Senate Democrats Call For Postponing Votes on Two Cabinet Nominees,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/31/17)

Part Of A Growing Pattern Of Dem Deception

Committee members contend “…Schumer betrayed a promise to allow a vote last Friday on President Donald Trump's pick for CIA director…” (“Republicans Rethinking Relationship With Schumer After Pompeo Incident,” Weekly Standard, 1/23/17)

• “Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, who was involved in the agreement, denounced Schumer for his actions. ‘He lied,’ Burr told TWS. ‘I don't make the same mistake twice.’” (“Republicans Rethinking Relationship With Schumer After Pompeo Incident,” Weekly Standard, 1/23/17)

“Schumer agreed to a Friday Senate vote for the confirmation of Kansas representative Mike Pompeo in exchange for a Republican concession to delay Pompeo's hearing by one day, TWS reported Monday. The deal went awry when Oregon senator Ron Wyden and other Democrats objected to the Friday vote…”(“Republicans Rethinking Relationship With Schumer After Pompeo Incident,” Weekly Standard, 1/23/17)

FLASHBACK

Top Dems: Refusing To Accept Election Results ‘A Direct Threat To Our Democracy’

HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY): “[H]e … refused to say that he would respect the results of this election. Now that is a direct threat to our democracy. I'm not going to try to call it anything else because that's what it is. All this talk about the election being rigged, trying to stir up people who are supporting him at his rallies, that is a direct threat to our democracy.” (Hillary Clinton, Campaign Remarks, 10/24/2016)

SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): “You got to accept the results of this election, win or lose...” (“Kaine To Trump: You Have To Accept Election Results, Win Or Lose,” Washington Examiner, 10/20/2016)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) AND FORMER SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “The basic functioning of our democracy relies on the simple principle that win or lose an election, both sides accept the result... This is about each of us doing our part to ensure the continued functioning of our democracy. At some point, the good of the country must outweigh the instinct for political self-preservation.” (Rep. Pelosi, Press Release, 10/17/2016)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “We have a moral obligation, even beyond the economy and politics, to avoid gridlock and get the country to work again... We have to get things done.” (“Schumer Sees Path to Senate Tax Deal With Clinton in White House,” Bloomberg Politics, 11/07/2016)

Leading Dems: ‘If You Don't Want To Vote On Tough Issues, Don't Run For Congress’

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “My good friend, the late Congressman from Oklahoma, Mike Synar, used to say: If you don't want to fight fires, don't be a firefighter. If you don't want to stop crime, don't be a policeman, and if you don't want to vote on tough issues, don't run for Congress. I agree with him. I don't like facing tough votes, but it is a part of the job. You ought to at least have enough confidence in your beliefs to cast that vote and go home and explain it.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.1444, 03/03/08)

• “‘I think people make a mistake trying to run from votes,’ [Former-Sen. Harry] Reid said. … I think it’s a foolish way to go.’” (“Reid Reopens Senate Debate,” Roll Call, 3/2/09)