Confirmation hearings roundup

Ratcliffe promises not to politicize the CIA

Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee grilled John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, during a confirmation hearing Wednesday, asking whether the nominee would hire or fire employees based on their politics.

They also asked Ratcliffe to promise not to politicize the CIA’s work by targeting Trump foes or withholding intelligence that might displease the incoming president.

“Will you or any of your staff impose a political litmus test for CIA employees?” asked Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent.

“No,” Ratcliffe answered.

Ratcliffe said he supports a key government surveillance program that authorities say is vital to national security but that critics have said it violates personal privacy.

During a confirmation hearing Wednesday, Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee that he believes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provides essential information that can be used to prevent terrorist attacks and inform critical national security decisions. He called FISA an “indispensable national security tool.”

Ratcliffe’s view puts him at odds with critics who say FISA, particularly a section known as 702, goes too far in allowing federal authorities to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country. If those individuals are communicating with Americans, those conversations could be swept up too.

Ratcliffe said rules in place are designed to ensure American’s privacy is protected.

“Is it perfect? No,” Ratcliffe said. “It is critical, it is indispensable.”

“I have always prioritized American civil liberties — something I will continue to do,” Ratcliffe told members of the committee.

Ratcliffe said the U.S. faces a complicated series of threats posed by adversaries such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. He said technologies like artificial intelligence and the internet are giving them new opportunities and that U.S. spy agencies must innovate to meet the challenges.

“Today we face what may be the most challenging national security environment in our nation’s history,” Ratcliffe said.

Wright stands by statement that he believes ‘wildfires are just hype’

CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Christ Wright is Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy. His nomination went before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

California Sen. Alex Padilla asked Wright if he still believes “wildfires are just hype” since two massive blazes in Southern California have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

“You’ve written that the hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies,” Padilla said. “And given the devastation that we’re currently experiencing in Los Angeles, do you still believe that wildfires are just hype?”

Wright said he stood by his past comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off.

Padilla said, “tell that to the families of the more than two dozen lost in these fires and counting.”

Scientists say climate change means more frequent and intense wildfires, with drought-like conditions in the western United States more likely.

Protesters interrupted the hearing. One of them yelled “LA is burning” and another shouted “I’m 18 years old and I want a future!” They held up signs that read, “big oil profits, LA burns.”

Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Lee banged his gavel, saying the committee would stand in recess until the Capitol Police could restore order. Moments later, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith resumed her questioning of Wright.

Several senators asked Wright about his views on climate change. He said climate change is real and the burning of fossil fuels causes climate change.

During the hearing, he promised to implement President-elect Donald Trump’s “bold energy agenda to unleash energy security and prosperity.”

The centerpiece of Trump’s energy policy is “drill, baby, drill,” and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats’ “green new scam” in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cause climate change when they are burned and greenhouse gases are released.

“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said. “And if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.”

Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper called Wright an “unrestrained enthusiast for fossils fuels in almost every regard,” but noted that he studied nuclear, worked on solar energy, and is a scientist who is open to discussion.

Duffy says he would review fines on Musk’s SpaceX

Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as transportation secretary, said he would review a pair of fines and crackdowns on Elon Musk’s space exploration company that one senator described as excessive and hampering innovation.

“I commit to doing a review and working with you and following up on the space launches,” said Duffy, during a hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was referring to Transportation Department fines against Musk’s SpaceX for allegedly violating rules regarding rocket launches.

Musk has come up several times in Duffy’s senate confirmation hearing. The world’s richest man is a close ally of Trump. Government ethics experts and watchdogs are concerned Musk will use his power to help shape rules to benefit his companies and kill investigations.

Duffy says that the U.S. risks falling behind other countries in the race to develop self-driving, autonomous vehicles if the federal government doesn’t come up with rules over the technology, leaving that up to the states as is currently the situation.

“Without clear rules, or a patchwork of rules state by state, we put ourselves behind those countries that allow innovators” to develop the technology, said Duffy.

Chinese automakers in particular are threatening U.S. automakers in the field of autonomous vehicles. Elon Musk’s Tesla and other automakers are hoping the Trump administration will develop rules on a federal level to help speed development of the technology.

Budget director nominee says he won’t withhold money

Russel Vought, Trump’s nominee to be White House budget director says he’ll spend money as allocated by Congress, instead of trying to withhold it as Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., accused him of previously doing in 2019 with $214 million in military aid for Ukraine.

Vought was a budget director during Trump’s first term and has been nominated for the same post.

He said in response to Peters at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee: “I will always commit to upholding the law.”

The answer did not satisfy Peters. The withholding of military aid to Ukraine led to Trump’s first impeachment, though Trump was not convicted.

“I’m not going to get ahead of the policy response of the incoming administration,” Vought said in his confirmation hearing.

When pressed earlier on whether he would release congressionally approved funds as legally required, Vought said he would. But when pushed by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Vought noted that Trump ran against the 1976 law that mandates the government spending congressionally approved funds as instructed.

Vought said the issue would be worked through by lawyers and “put through a policy process.”

He indicated he believes the 1976 law should be overturned.

Vought noted that the annual cost of servicing the debt has climbed from $350 billion a year to more than what the federal government devotes to national defense. Publicly held national debt has climbed past $28 trillion, making it roughly equal in size to the U.S. gross domestic product.

Vought said he would need to get into office and put together a budget in order to assess where spending levels should be, but he said Trump’s previous budget proposals would be a template.