SacBee: California Sen. Alex Padilla, other Democrats boycott Vought confirmation vote
By David Lightman
PADILLA JOINS OTHER SENATE DEMS IN BOYCOTTING VOUGHT VOTE
Sen. Alex Padilla is adamant — Russell Vought’s nomination as federal budget director must be stopped.
Vought’s confirmation could be considered by the Senate as soon as this week. He got approval from the Republican-led Senate Budget Committee last week, but only after Democrats, including Padilla, boycotted the vote.
The Democrats held a news conference, and Padilla, a California Democrat, fired away.
“This is an attempt at a one-man government shutdown, brought to us by President Trump,” the senator said at the news conference.
On Monday, the Trump administration announced a pause on federal grants and other financial aid. Tuesday, a judge temporarily halted the freeze.
Wednesday, the White House rescinded its action, after its pause triggered confusion and anger among state and local officials across the nation.
Vought has said that the president is able to withhold spending, despite a 1974 law that limits a president’s ability to stop funding approved by Congress.
Read the full article here.