Key GOP Senators Open to Skipping FBI Background Checks for Trump Appointments

A key Republican said on Monday that a deadlock over FBI background checks on Trump’s Cabinet picks will be broken “in the coming days.”

“I believe there will be FBI background checks,” said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s ranking Republican.

The remarks coincide with concerns about the efficacy of the Trump administration’s new screening procedure, which bypasses the customary procedures used by senior officials. This deviation from the norm set off a debate about background checks, which Democrats believe should be implemented on people holding high-level positions.

In a letter to South Dakota Senator John Thune, the Senate’s outgoing majority leader, Chuck Schumer has requested that, next year, when Thune holds the Republican majority, he demand that President Trump’s nominees be properly vetted. Schumer emphasized that Democrats stand by “reviewing standard FBI background-investigation materials” in a confirmation process.

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“In our system of checks and balances, the Senate plays a vital role in ensuring that the President appoints able public servants who will serve the American people with honor and fulfill their duties under the Constitution,” Schumer said. “Regardless of political party, the Senate has fulfilled this sacred duty for centuries, and we cannot, at any time, fail in our Constitutional duty.”

A key Republican said on Monday that a deadlock over FBI background checks on Trump’s Cabinet picks will be broken “in the coming days.”

“I believe there will be FBI background checks,” said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s ranking Republican.

The remarks coincide with concerns about the efficacy of the Trump administration’s new screening procedure, which bypasses the customary procedures used by senior officials. This deviation from the norm set off a debate about background checks, which Democrats believe should be implemented on people holding high-level positions.

In a letter to South Dakota Senator John Thune, the Senate’s outgoing majority leader, Chuck Schumer has requested that, next year, when Thune holds the Republican majority, he demand that President Trump’s nominees be properly vetted. Schumer emphasized that Democrats stand by “reviewing standard FBI background-investigation materials” in a confirmation process.

“In our system of checks and balances, the Senate plays a vital role in ensuring that the President appoints able public servants who will serve the American people with honor and fulfill their duties under the Constitution,” Schumer said. “Regardless of political party, the Senate has fulfilled this sacred duty for centuries, and we cannot, at any time, fail in our Constitutional duty.”

The senator charged with heading the committee investigation into Trump’s selection to be Defense Secretary, accused of sexual assault and binge drinking, is Wicker. Hegseth went on Capitol Hill on Monday for a second day in a row to attempt to bolster his nomination to defense secretary.

If Trump wants Hegseth confirmed as his defense secretary on January 20, Inauguration Day, the choice has to be made with all due haste. The question, however, has brought into question the ability of the Senate to conduct its own investigations and has overshadowed the confirmation process for Cabinet selections in general.
“I believe that discussions between the transition team and leadership on both sides of the aisle will soon resolve the question of who conducts the background check,” Wicker said. So sit tight until tomorrow or more.

Wicker said his “preference” is for an FBI background check to be done, but he would not say outright that Hegseth’s lack of one disqualifies him.

“I would prefer that we follow the precedent set by the Eisenhower administration and rely on the background check agency for information,” he said.