(FreedomBeacon.com)- As President Donald Trump nears the end of a fight for election integrity that could still potentially end in a Biden administration, some Republican senators seem to be missing in action in efforts to confirm important Trump nominees.
The Senate, despite being controlled by the Republicans, blocked two nominees in a 39-48 losing vote.
President Donald Trump nominated Chase Johnson to take the inspector general commission at the Federal Communications Commission, and Eric Soskin to the inspector general position at the Department of Transportation.
The votes lost because 12 Republican senators simply didn’t turn up. Had they turned up and voted in line with the party, the nominations would have passed, thanks to the Republican 53-47 majority in the chamber.
Where are they?
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to betray the president too, joining the Democrats in voting no, but it was a procedural decision that would allow him to bring the nominations to another vote in the future.
A full list of the 12 Republicans who didn’t turn up to vote is as follows:
Mike Rounds, South Dakota
James Risch, Idaho
Rob Portman, Ohio,
David Perdue, Georgia,
Rand Paul, Kentucky,
Kelly Loeffler, Georgia,
Deb Fischer, Nebraska,
Jodi Ernst, Iowa,
Mike Enzi, Wyoming
Ted Cruz, Texas,
Richard Burr, North Carolina,
Roy Blunt, Missouri
There are some pretty well-known pro-Trump names in the last, indicating that it may not be all betrayal, but simply a matter of scheduling.
Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are absolutely on the side of the president and have joined him in his legal fight to protect election integrity and stop the inauguration of an illegitimate president if possible.
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue of Georgia are also presently in their home state, where they are campaigning for the January 5 Senate runoff elections that will decide the future of the Senate.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley told reporters that without those 12 Republicans, however, they knew they were going to lose the vote.
“All I can say is, I hope they’re having a good weekend,” he added.
Ouch.
Republican Senate Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker also said before the vote that they were the “victim this afternoon of some absences.”
“We are also the victim this afternoon of some discussion and some differences that have arisen over extraneous issues,” he said. “And I would just urge my colleagues, both on and off the committee, to remember that this was a unanimous vote out of the committee. This is an outstanding candidate, and he deserves to be confirmed.”
Will Republicans have another chance to confirm these nominations before January 20?
