First on Fox: Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, chairman of the committee Energy Committee and The natural resources company accuses Democrats of “delaying and obstructing” the major energy nominees of President-elect Trump's incoming administration.
“Senate Democrats are once again showing that delaying and obstructing the incoming Trump administration is their top priority,” Lee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.
“both of them Governor Doug Burgum Chris Wright's papers were submitted to the Office of Government Ethics by their respective agencies. The installation process is progressing as it should, and good progress has been made to ensure these candidates are thoroughly vetted and ready for service. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee has followed all the rules in observing their confirmation hearings.
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Mike Lee claimed that his Democratic counterpart is trying to delay confirmation hearings for Trump's nominee. (Reuters)
“This is the same party that in 2009 pushed ahead with confirmation hearings for President Obama's nominees under almost identical circumstances. While Democrats are dragging their feet, Republicans are moving forward and doing the work the American people expect us to do. It's time for Senate Democrats to confront these moment with the seriousness it demands.”
The Utah Republican was responding to claims by his Democratic counterpart on the committee, Ranking Member Martin Heinrich, who proposed scheduling hearings for the CEO and founder of the Utah company. Liberty Energy Chris WrightTrump's pick for Secretary of Energy, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Trump's pick for Secretary of the Interior, violated the protocol.
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This week, Heinrich responded to a “violation of Senate protocol and decades-old precedent” when he said Lee scheduled Burgum’s hearing without the approval of the committee’s minority.
“I am extremely disappointed that Chairman Lee has scheduled the first confirmation hearing for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee over my objection and before providing background information to the committee. This is a violation of protocol and precedent that the chairs of both chambers have established over decades,” Heinrich said in a statement on Wednesday after Lee officially set Burgum's confirmation hearing for Jan. 14.
Trump appointed Burgum to lead the Interior Department. (Chip Somodevila/Getty Images)
He issued a second statement on Thursday in response to Wright's confirmation hearing, officially scheduled for January 15.
“I am extremely disappointed that Chairman Lee observed a second nomination hearing without receiving the information from the nominees required by law and adhering to committee rules, including a full FBI background check and financial report,” the senator said.
“The documents that Energy and Natural Resources Democrats do not have are not just paperwork. These are the documents, disclosures and ethics agreement that our committee rules and the law require,” Heinrich said.
But according to Lee, who assumed the role of chair after Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., was elected to serve as Senate majority whip, his actions are consistent with precedent on the committee.
Lee is the new chairman of the Energy Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
He also stressed that he is “in full compliance” with all rules when it comes to setting up confirmation hearings for Trump's picks for key energy roles.
While Heinrich Lee was accused of violating precedent, a similar scenario occurred in 2009 in the administration of former President Obama. Steven Chu and Ken Salazar, former Energy and Interior secretaries, respectively, had their confirmation hearings announced by former Energy Chairman Jeff Bingaman before receiving all the documents.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Democratic committee spokesperson said these are the only instances of this timeline of events “despite the dozens and dozens of candidates the committee is considering.”
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In 2009, some of Obama's nominations followed a similar schedule. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“Furthermore, unlike the hearings observed by Chairman Lee, the Committee received Dr. Chu and Mr. Salazar’s disclosures only one day after the Notice was issued. It has been days since Chairman Lee observed these hearings. But the Committee has not yet received the requested documents and does not have “Any guarantee that she will have it by the time the hearings take place.”
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Lee's position on Heinrich's criticism was that Democrats “want to combine the notice with requirements that generally apply to nominations.”
“Rest assured, Republicans will continue to abide by all committee rules,” he said.
