GOP Sen. Cornyn Delays Clinton Confirmation Vote

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's smooth ride to confirmation as secretary of state hit a small bump on Tuesday as one of her Republican colleagues blocked a vote on Mrs. Clinton's nomination, citing ethicalquestions arising from donors to her husband's charitable foundation.

Senator John Cornyn of Texas objected to including Mrs. Clinton's name in a unanimous consent vote for several Cabinet nominees, scheduled for hours after the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, plans to hold a roll-call vote on Mrs. Clinton's nomination on Wednesday, which she is expected to win easily.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ObjectiveRealist]

Arlen Specter started putting in a good word for HRC, now he's talking about the absurdity of pre-conditions on talks, where the purpose of the talks is also the subject of the pre-conditions, specifically in relation to Iran's nuclear energy program. He's using the opportunity to present his own international credentials a little bit, and repeating the mis-translation of Ahmadinejad's statements of eagerness that Zionist extremists currently dominating Israel's government be thrown in the historical dustbin, but overall he's making good points about the superiority of soft power over military force and threats for most situations. Worth listening, if you have C-Span2 right now.

[pmag88]

The whole premise of the argument for full and immediate disclosure and review by a so-called ethics board, would result in a media circus, thus slowing down our new foreign policy agenda.

If I were Bill Clinton, I would agree to temporarily change the name of the foundation and put it in someone else’s hands during Hillary’s tenure as SOS just to cut these a-holes off a the knees. One more point. I think this is pure sleaze whoever is behind it, be they dems or republicans.

[PlayTOE]

John Cornyn objected due to her husband's interests being a possible conflict. This is a very high standard that few people either aspire to or achieve. One wonders if John Cornyn places the same level of conscern on his own situation and meets this level of transparency himself?

For those who are in Texas, and have access to investigative reporting ... the personal business dealings of the Senator John Cornyn and also his spouse are now of public interest ...

I quite wonder how he stands up to the level of scrutiny he places on others?

[pmag88]

Real or perceived conflicts of interest ?

Upon arrival in the house or senate, new members are immediately approached by lobbying firms, asking them which members of their family, or which friends, they would like to see see appointed a good paying job working for their firm.

Upon leaving the house or senate, prior members only have to wait a couple of years before they become involved in a business which directly does business with the government. thus trading on their influence and contacts for personal gain at the taxpayers expense and tipping the scales on projects in a way that makes it unfair to those who don’t have direct linkage.

Upon leaving any government job, be it working for HUD or whatever, the employee can take their full pension after 20 years of service, and then immediately work as a contractor, advisor, or consultant, for companies working directly with the government.

Upon leaving the armed services, high ranking officers get jobs sitting on the boards of defense contractors, while at the same time being invited to the pentagon to sit in on meetings, recommending which new weapons systems we should fund.

This list could go on.

Now you have the Clinton foundation, which uses a 'pass through' mechanism to insure the funds go directly to other organizations yet somehow this is so problematic that republicans need full disclosure of and zero foreign contributions. AMAZING HIPOCRISY!

[BUTCHER111]

Well, I think a lot of Hillary supporters may want to remember that next time Senator Cornyn is up for reelection and remember that when he endorses someone, and vote against him and all he endorses. Come on Hillary Folks. Get him! And for that matter, the GOP. Let them know how you feel about this.

[purpleethel]

I find it more than ironic that the one dissenting vote on the Foreign Relations Committee for Hiliary Clinton as Secretary of State, was none other than the wholesome, Mr. David Vitter of Louisiana who was howling about "transparency" and Hiliary not being forthright enough. This from a man who was cheating on his wife in Washington, D.C. with hookers.
What a phony. It makes you wonder what Senator Cronyn of Texas has in his closet knowing full well that his one dissention from approval by voice vote of Hiliary Clinton would delay her approval one day but would get him a lot of press on Inauguration Day, no less. Let's see how "Cronnie Boy" tries to use this in his bid for the Republican nomination for President in 4 years. He, too, was piously using "transparency" as his reason for delaying by one day Senator Clinton's approval which will happen. It seems to me that in religion and politics, it is unfortunate how those who cry the loudest about the faults of others, often end up being the very ones who are hiding some deep dark secret in their own closet. I wonder what will become transparent in Senator Cronyn's background in the coming years.

[RODERICK098]

Read what they say about Mr. Cronyn in Wikipedia. This is why I have known the Clintons were truly decent people fighting corruption. Its the corrupt politicians that are trying to take them down
almost every time

[carnelld]

Senator Cornyn from Texas. His Senate seat is considered a safe Republican seat. In the South(Texas is not completetly considered a southern state), it is popular to vote against anything Clinton.

Cornyn's vote to hold up Hillary Clinton's confirmation was a vote to irritate Ms Clinto.

Cornyn and the Republicans know they can not stop the confirmation. I look for these type guerrilla type tactics in the Congress, as the Republicans can not stop the Democratic majorities.

In some cases they will present the image of obstruction. The out come in most cases will be determined by the Democratic majority.

[jtmoney]

Actually, us Texans do not consider ourselves southern at all. We are, our own thing of sorts.

[jtmoney]

**rest of letter emailed to sen cornyn!!!

HRC's nomination will to through today, and you had to be the only objector to her taking office on day one. She is certainly more qualified to be our Secretary of State then you are to be a US Senator. As your actions will have no effect on any outcome today, they will be remembered the next election.

You seriously need to take your office more seriously then playing these feeble, pointless games and do something to represent the residents of the great State of Texas like you were elected to do. This is NOT what you were put in office for.

[jtmoney]

The following is a letter I sent to the Senator thru his website. i have to also reply so you can see the whole thing since it is a little too long for one posting. I'm also including the link, and encourage everybody to flood his office with emails, at the very least to annoy his staff for him doing this.

http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Senator Cornyn,

I'm heading this subject as "foreign relations" as this pertains to Hillary Clinton's appointment to Secretary of State. Moreso, it pertains to your objection of her appointment, calling for debate over President Clinton's donations from foreign governments and it's possible influence over HRC's performance at her position.

Please know this, Senator Cornyn. Nobody believes your intentions. That is just a smoke screen for partisian politics. This is nothing more then a stab at the Clintons, and a stab at the new Democratic president Barack Obama, and sort of a payback for losing the general election last November. Quite frankly, as a Texan, I find this embarrassing.

Your actions represent everything that is wrong with Washington today. Please know, as I'm sure you are well aware, that the State of Texas is increasingly turning blue and it is unfortunate you were just reelected this past November, because now we have to wait another six years to vote you out.

[jtmoney]

HRC's nomination will to through today, and you had to be the only objector to her taking office on day one. She is certainly more qualified to be our Secretary of State then you are to be a US Senator. As your actions will have no effect on any outcome today, they will be remembered the next election.

You seriously need to take your office more seriously then playing these feeble, pointless games and do something to represent the residents of the great State of Texas like you were elected to do. This is NOT what you were put in office for.

[XLintLuvR]

I agree with you wholeheartedly jtmoney. I'm also a transplant here in TX. As I'm certain you're aware, 90% of the professionals in the DFW area are not originally from here. More and more you're finding more progressive thinkers filling up the major cities in TX. I do believe that our president (man it feels great to say that!) has said he's set his eyes on the Lonestar state for the next G.E. Senators like this are going to help people remember exactly what it was that got us into the mess we're in right now and we'll remember to correct this wrong next time around. Just in time for mid term elections in this current administration's second term. If he's suceeded in turning this country around and you have a handful of dinosaurs continuing to obstruct just for the sake of it, they'll find themselves on the outside looking in with TX finally coming to its senses like VA and NC two states that I lived in before I moved here that I knew were ripe for the taking. Hmmm... think there might be some coincidence that each time I move to a state it turns blue? Where should I move next? lol

[dreffein]

Awesome JT!

[dantanna]

democrats and obama will be sorry for this pick... bill is a major obstacle in her credibility

[jtmoney]

hrc is more qualified to be SOS then this joker is of being senator.

[amaycatbaker]

He did it to look good for his voters. Nothing more than that. I hope his voters vote him out.

[comacoma]

I for one voted against Cornholer... he is a useless t o o l of the bush klan.

[jtmoney]

Unfortunately, he got reelected last November. We have to wait another six years to vote this jerk out.

[amaycatbaker]

Impeachment?

[TheIndependenceParty]

There is a distinction between being in "opposition" and being an "obstruction" that seems to be lost on the good senator from Texas. This man is like a rat terrier on a pants cuff.

[Cookie100]

Call Cornyn 1 212 224 2934, tell him, NEVER SAID BOO TO THE CLOWN THAT LEFT

[XLintLuvR]

212 is Manhattan. Sure you didn't mean 202?

[DarthDerisive]

Wow! So you mean to tell me that after all of this H R C isnt ready on day one!! HA!

Sorry couldnt resist!!

[Grunty1]

The Republicians still aren't ready to govern after 8 years.

[truthyguy]

If anyone wants a shining example of why the republicans are no longer in office and why our country is in such bad shape, let them look at Cornyn's obstructionist actions. There is not a shot in hell that Clinton will fail to be confirmed. But just to oppose for opposition sake only, Cornyn puts up some BS excuse to delay the confirmation. It is the typical "my way or no way" republican attitude of the past 8 years. If the democrats said the sun rises in the East some A*hole republican like Cornyn would find an excuse to debate it. You republican politicians want to know why the overwhelming majority of the American people are fed up with you and your approval rating is minuscule except for the cool aide drinkers, it is because of crap like Cornyn is pulling which has no baring on the public good and is costing the taxpayers money to have unnecessary and meaningless debate while at the same time holding up the running of the State Department. .