Tuberville In the News: The Federalist: Schumer’s Cave On Military Nominations Shows His Attacks On Tuberville Were Always Political

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture on a series of military nominations on Wednesday, all but admitting he’s had the power to do so in spite of his attacks against Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville over the latter’s protest of the Pentagon’s abortion policy.

For months, Schumer and Democrats have attacked Tuberville for using his position on the Senate Armed Services Committee to slow-walk military personnel moves requiring Senate confirmation. Tuberville did this to protest the Pentagon’s use of taxpayer money to cover service members’ abortion-related travel expenses.

Despite possessing the power to bring these nominations to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote, Schumer has spent months attacking Tuberville and pushing baseless claims the Republican senator’s protest is putting “American security in jeopardy.” Schumer’s filing on the nominations of Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith, and Army Gen. Randy George, however, is a tacit admission by the Senate majority leader that he’s had the ability to bypass Tuberville’s protest all along.

According to The Daily Caller, the “‘cloture’ motions would, if approved by at least 60 senators, limit debate on the nominations to 18 hours and lead to a final confirmation vote.”

The motion on Brown’s nomination was approved by the Senate by an 89-8 vote Wednesday evening.

“Instead of voting, Democrats have spent months complaining about having to vote,” Tuberville said during a speech on the Senate floor. “Sen. Schumer could have confirmed these nominees a long, long time ago. … I didn’t come [to Congress] just to outsource my job to the Pentagon or the White House. Yet, that’s exactly what Democrats want to do.”

“This is a win … for the legislative branch of government,” he added.