Senate Democrats on Tuesday evening blocked the swift confirmation of John Ratcliffe, who is President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the CIA.
Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy objected to a time agreement that would have expedited the confirmation of Ratcliffe, who was director of National Intelligence during the first Trump administration. Murphy’s refusal to give Ratcliffe a swift confirmation vote could be the first of many objections by Senate Democrats to drag out the confirmation process for Trump’s cabinet nominees.
Murphy’s objection to Ratcliffe comes after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer appeared to commit to working with Senate Republicans on confirming Trump cabinet nominees evaluated by Senate Democrats to be “qualified” to lead their agencies.
“Democrats have been very clear about our approach to President Trump’s nominees,” Schumer
