Tuberville: Senate Republicans ‘already planned’ to quickly confirm Trump nominees despite ‘rumors’
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., says that he is ready to support two of president-elect Donald Trump’s controversial nominees despite “rumors” against them.
While on Fox News Tuesday, Tuberville stated that there were “rumors” going around about Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz. Hegseth and Gaetz were nominated by Trump to become Secretary of Defense and Attorney General in the president-elect’s Cabinet.
The “rumors” Tuberville referenced are that Gaetz and Hegseth are both accused of sexual misconduct against women. Tuberville likened the allegations to those Supreme Court Justices Brett Cavanaugh and Clarence Thomas faced during their confirmation hearings.
“We’re going to look at facts not rumors,” Tuberville said. “There’s more rumors up there going around about Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth…I’m looking forward to backing all of them as long as the facts are there.”
“He’s not going not to pick somebody that’s a criminal,” Tuberville said.
The House Ethics Committee is currently investigating Gaetz for allegedly sleeping with a 17-year-old, paying for sex and illicit drug use. The committee is slated to meet today and potentially decide whether to publicly release an Ethics report on Gaetz.
However, Tuberville told CBS 42 that he would not support Gaetz’s nomination if any of the allegations against him were proven.
After Hegseth was nominated it was reported that a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2017. Hegseth reached a settlement with the woman by paying her an undisclosed amount and having her sign a non-disclosure agreement.
NPR reported that Hegseth settled to protect his career and prevent his accuser from filing a lawsuit.
Hegseth and his lawyer maintain that the accuser is lying and the encounter was consensual.
Tuberville referenced other federal Republican nominees like Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh saying conservatives always have “rumors” to combat.
Thomas was accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill while Kavanaugh also was accused of sexual assault. Both men would still go on to be sworn in as justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tuberville told Steve Bannon that Republican senators “have already” planned to quickly confirm key Cabinet nominations before Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20.
Republicans will regain control of the Senate after the new members are sworn in on Jan. 3. Under the Constitution the Senate is tasked with holding hearings and confirming Cabinet nominees.
Tuberville said that the top positions like Secretary of Defense and Attorney General will be main priorities to get confirmed.