Orrin Hatch: “as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, I ask my colleagues to join us in voting swiftly and unanimously in support…”

“as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, I ask my colleagues to join us in voting swiftly and unanimously in support of Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as the next Secretary of State. Frankly, I am embarrassed by the naked partisanship that was on display during Director Pompeo's confirmation hearing. The Director deserves better than this. That his nomination was nearly sent to the floor without recommendation is an utter disgrace. This is a graduate of West Point and a man who served our Nation honorably as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army. This is a talented litigator who graduated from Harvard Law School, where he served as editor of the Harvard Law Review. This is an accomplished businessman, a former Member of Congress, and the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. This is a man who is qualified to serve in every respect. Yet some of my colleagues wanted to block Director Pompeo's nomination on the grounds that he supports our President. Give me a break. To these colleagues, I say: Enough. Enough of the partisan games. Enough of the political grandstanding and self-serving sanctimony. Delaying this nomination undermines not only the reputation of this esteemed body but the very safety of our Nation. Obstructing Director Pompeo's confirmation would be a significant break from the bipartisan process that has characterized these kinds of nominations in the past and over my past 42 years.…”