Political Quotes

“I rise in opposition to the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of James Cole to be the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. I oppose proceeding to a vote on the nominee for a number of reasons. I have concerns regarding Mr. Cole's qualifications and am troubled by President Obama's recess appointment of Mr. Cole to this position. I have been consistent in my opposition to recess appointments over the years. Whenever the President bypasses the Senate by making recess appointments, such nominees will not receive my support. We have a process in place for nominations and if the President is not willing to work with Senators to clear nominations, the nominee should not get a second bite at the apple. In addition to my general opposition to recess appointments, I have consistently warned this administration that I would not cooperate in moving nominees for the Department of Justice, until they cooperated with my request for oversight materials. Last month, I went to the floor to describe what I have learned in the course of my investigation into whistleblower allegations at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, ATF. According to whistleblowers, guns found at the scene of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry had been purchased illegally by a known straw buyer a year earlier, with the blessing of the ATF as part of an operation known as Fast and Furious. I first asked about this issue on January 27.…”