Political Quotes

“I have just been told that the hearing for Ms. DeVos, nominee for Secretary of Education, which began at 5 p.m., much to our chagrin, is now going to be--the chairman of the committee, Senator Alexander, my dear friend, has stated that there will be only one round of questions, 5 minutes each. I tell my friend the majority leader, who just left, and my colleagues that this is not the way for comity: a hearing on a nominee with only one round of questioning, 5 minutes each, for a controversial nominee who has $5 billion of investments, who has not filed her papers yet. We feel very strongly that there ought to be another hearing, and this will affect how the rest of the nominees will go forward because we need time on them. I have never heard of anything like this--a major nominee with major controversy, not having filed her papers, and then the hearing only beginning at 5 p.m. today because my friend Senator Alexander wouldn't switch the hearing to a different day, even though there is no rush. Now Senator Alexander has just decreed as the hearing convened that there will be only one round of questioning, 5 minutes each. I understand why my Republican colleagues are rushing through these nominees--and this one in particular. They are afraid of what the public will hear. They are afraid of what these nominees represent. President-Elect Trump has said he is going to drain the swamp. What does he have?…”