Senate Confirms Trump Nominee After Missed-Vote Debacle

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Dec. 7, 2020. Patrick Semansky/AP Photo

The Senate on Monday confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee for an inspector general post after failing to do so on Saturday, when a dozen Republicans missed the vote.

The Senate voted 48–47 to confirm Eric Soskin as inspector general of the Department of Transportation.

The vote was entirely along party lines. All Republicans supported Trump’s nominee while all Democrats voted against.

Five senators missed the vote: Sens. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.).

Harris and 12 Republicans, including the four who missed the Monday vote, did not vote on Dec. 19 as the Republican-controlled Senate failed to confirm Soskin and another Trump nominee, Chase Johnson.

Johnson was nominated for the position of inspector general for the Federal Communications Commission.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) criticized the senators who missed the votes.

A procedural tactic enabled Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to bring the nominees up for a vote again. McConnell changed his yes vote to a no vote on Saturday.

Johnson’s nomination was not voted on during the Monday session.