Trump has formally nominated retired Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis for Secretary of Defense, and Republicans have responded with their give-us-Mad Dog-or-give-us-shut down waiver.
It’s a one time exemption to the little idea that, in the United States, the military is supposed to stay under civilian control. In one sprawling sentence, the GOP overrides a 70-year-old law that keeps recent military officers from occupying senior positions in defense.
But Republicans in Congress are, of course, only too happy to let the Trump steamroller mash them to bits and are eager to amend the law so that Mattis can become defense secretary. This custom “waiver” would have to pass both houses of Congress, and Democrats, led by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, have promised to filibuster it.
A filibuster would be good, but not only are Republicans pushing for this special, one-time, Trump-only override, they’re attaching it to a Continuing Resolution needed to fund the government.
Republicans tucked a measure intended to expedite the confirmation of Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense into a must-pass Congressional spending bill late Tuesday.
It’s a move intended to limit debate though it doesn’t block filibuster of the bill. Expect Republicans to frame it as if Democrats are shutting down the government in trying to stop the waiver, rather than Republicans shutting down the government by recklessly attaching this waiver to must-pass legislation.
Democrats can still step in to prevent this. In addition to Gillibrand, other Democrats are preparing for the fight.
Fortunately, Democrats are rallying against such a move. The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, has warned the GOP against pulling this dangerous stunt, while Sen. Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, put Republicans on notice that “there are some provisions that can stop it”—the continuing resolution—“from being passed” and bluntly told them: “Fix them.”
But it’s extremely disappointing that Republicans are already willing to engage in such brinksmanship to favor Trump with an appointment that goes around existing law and tradition.
Resistance to Trump is getting an early start.