The confirmation process for Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson is shaping to be the first big fight of the Trump Administration.
The ExxonMobil CEO has come under fire for his close relationship, both personally and financially, to Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia.
This puts Republican Senators like Pennsylvania’s Pat Toomey, who have been quite critical of Putin in the past, in a tough bind.
“I don’t know the man, so I’m going to withhold any kind of judgment until ‘’ve had a chance to learn about him and meet with him,” Toomey told the Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari. “Rising to the level of CEO of a multi-national corporation requires a lot of talent and skill, so he’s got to be a very capable guy.”
Trump also presented this nomination shortly after it was revealed that Putin had deliberately sought to undermine Hillary Clinton and swing the election towards Donald Trump.
“We should absolutely get to the bottom of what the Russians did, how they did it, what their intent was,” Toomey stated. “There has to be consequences for them…they’ve got to learn a lesson that that’s totally unacceptable at all times.”
The President-Elect’s nominee may face trouble as just three Republican Senators could deny Tillerson the job. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has already indicated he may vote against Tillerson.
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14 Responses
He has yet to take a stand on ANYTHING! What’s Pol Pa. talking about? :-/
Issac l
Re the Uranium deal, check out the NY Times, April 23, 2015: “Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal”
New info after my post supports the “Russians did it thesis”, I stand corrected.
Russia didn’t “hack the election”… they hacked emails.
The notion many seem to be advancing is that in the year 2016 the United States can close itself off from the rest of the world and be free of *any* input from foreign media, foreign activists or – yes – foreign governments – during an entire year long election. And if any foreign influence slips through our borders, then somehow the election is illegitimated. That’s laughable.
The issue isn’t that Russia or any other country preferred Trump to Clinton or vice versa. So-called Russian “trolls” were relentlessly promoting Trump and undermining his opponents through social media during the primaries. Anybody following this election even from a distance knew that Russia was backing Trump and involved with Wikileaks. Assange has asylum there for Christ’s sake.
The real issue is that the Russians broke our laws. What if it was an American citizen who unlawfully leaked the emails in a way that benefited Trump? Would people be hysterically calling this the end of American democracy and demanding the election result be ignored? Of course not.
The appropriate response here is one directed toward Russia – not members of the Electoral College.
Toomey never had a solid position on Trump either. IOW, Toomey is a wimp.
Also, if by “unnamed CIA person” you mean CIA Director John Brennan, who is joined by FBI Director James Comey and the Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper, then yes. The entire U.S. intelligence community agrees that Russia interfered with the U.S. election.
Oh boy – Bill and Hillary sold the uranium? You should really get off the conspiracy nutjob websites and read some news.
So typical of the “Timid Scarecrow”. In the end, he will vote to confirm. A total disgrace.
#TimidToomey hasn’t taken a stand on anything. He’s the weakest wuss in Congress! His own legislation won’t pass!
“Putin had deliberately sought” is not a fact, only an unsubstantiated leak by an unnamed CIA person. Other agencies dispute this allegation. Don’t get out ahead of your skis. Hillary and Bill sold the uranium reserves to the Russians and her accommodating foreign policy would have been a reason for them to support her over the challenger.
Now that we have a good nominee for Secretary of State they will try to stop him. We need a good business person.
So brave. This vote will be just like his vote for Trump. He’ll hem and haw and pretend he’s moderate, and then veer right when it’s too late to stop him.
Toomey should try to stop influencing the GOP Chairman’s race and keep his nose out of it. There will be an ethical violation filed very soon….
Agree…toomey is a eunuch…..
Toomey makes me sick…this sounds just like when he was afraid to tell Pennslvanians that he supported Trump until the polls closed…he is a spineless wimp, afraid to tell his constituents he is in lock step with the orange wonder. He is surely awaiting his instructions from his Chamber of Commerce and Club for Growth Masters…Sad we are represented by Toomey.