Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz secured a key victory in his battle with House Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-CA), all while silencing a heckler from California, Democrat Rep Eric Swalwell, in the process.
Se. Cruz was holding up some of Joe Biden’s nominations because he wanted a vote on sanctions for the new Russia to Germany pipeline, Nord Stream 2.
Swalwell complained last night: “This. Is. Not. Democracy.
“Ted Cruz is in the minority.
“And most members of the minority want our ambassadors confirmed.
“What the hell do you call a system where ONE person can bring diplomacy to a halt?”
The senator had a simple yet devastating message for Swalwell.
Cruz responded: “Hush child.
“The adults are working.”
Hush child.
The adults are working. https://t.co/TVgvPU9YMt
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 17, 2021
Cruz got the last laugh when it was announced he reached a deal with Schumer.
The Senate will confirm around three dozen nominees for ambassadorships and senior State Department positions while Ted gets a vote in January on Nord Stream 2.
“I think it’s perfectly reasonable for senators to try and get votes on policy issues that matter to them,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said.
“What I think is perfectly unreasonable is that there are holds on dozens of ambassadors and senior nominees by several Republican senators.
“We have to have a path towards confirming qualified nominees.”
From Politico:
Before Cruz and Schumer clinched their agreement, the Senate was on a glacial pace with foreign policy nominations.
The blockade from Cruz and other GOP senators, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), was frustrating Democrats and Republicans alike who were arguing that the U.S. needs to have Senate-confirmed ambassadors in key countries.
But Cruz’s strategy paid off — at least for now.
As part of the agreement he reached with Schumer, the Senate will vote before Jan. 14 on his legislation to sanction the pipeline.
Cruz has said he would lift additional holds when and if the bill passes in the Senate and advances to the House and to the president’s desk.
This. Is. Not. Democracy.
Ted Cruz is in the minority. And most members of the minority want our ambassadors confirmed. What the hell do you call a system where ONE person can bring diplomacy to a halt? https://t.co/FLKvghXWgO
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 17, 2021
