Nothing motivates the United States Senate quite like an approaching vacation. With the August recess looming, lawmakers are suddenly in a massive hurry to hold confirmation hearings for a stack of Trump nominees who have been sitting around waiting like forgotten luggage at baggage claim. As Conservative Brief reported, hearings kick off Monday and stretch through the week for nominees covering national intelligence, the Justice Department, the CDC, the Labor Department, and the Pentagon comptroller's office.
The headliner is Wednesday's hearing for Jay Clayton, Trump's pick for permanent director of national intelligence. Clayton's road to this hearing has been, shall we say, scenic. The Senate Intelligence Committee had his hearing all set for June 17, and then Trump personally asked them to pump the brakes until Jamie McDonald got confirmed as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Committee Chairman Tom Cotton was not thrilled. "It is regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today," Cotton said at the time, while still calling Clayton "a patriot and a highly qualified nominee." That is the senatorial equivalent of saying "I love you but I am furious with you."
The urgency around Clayton also has a practical dimension. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired in June, which authorizes intelligence agencies to collect communications involving foreign targets overseas, including situations where Americans are communicating with those individuals, without traditional warrants. Having a permanent DNI would presumably help sort that out. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has called Clayton "a really good pick," and even Chuck Schumer mostly kept his powder dry, focusing his energy on replacing Acting DNI Bill Pulte rather than going after Clayton personally.
Also on the Wednesday docket is Todd Blanche for attorney general. Blanche spent 15 years at the Justice Department before going into private practice, where he represented Trump in several criminal cases between 2023 and 2024. Some Republican senators have questions. John Cornyn of Texas wants more briefings on tax audit matters involving Trump, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina has stressed that the Justice Department needs to remain independent. Blanche has also had to address a proposed $1.8 billion government weaponization compensation fund after concerns arose that individuals convicted of violent crimes related to the January 6 Capitol riot could qualify for payments. Blanche testified the DOJ removed the proposal.
Wednesday is apparently the big day because it also features Erica Schwartz, Trump's nominee to lead the CDC, which has been running without a Senate confirmed director for nearly a year after Trump dismissed Susan Monarez over vaccine policy disagreements with RFK Jr. Schwartz gets her shot after Dr. David Weldon withdrew when it became clear the votes were not there.
Thursday brings Keith Sonderling for labor secretary. He has been acting secretary since Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April during an inspector general investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct. Having the labor secretary nominee be the person who took over after a workplace misconduct situation is certainly a choice that writes its own jokes.
So there you have it. Five major nominees, four days of hearings, and one very motivated Senate trying to get everything done before they scatter to the winds for August. Nothing like a deadline to make government work.
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