Trump Threatens to Adjourn ‘Both Chambers of Congress’ So He Can Make Recess Appointments Without Senate Consent – By Andrew Feinberg (Newsweek) / April 15 2020
President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to use a never-before-used power that allows the president to adjourn Congress if the House and Senate won’t voluntarily adjourn, so he can appoint judges and other executive branch officials without the Senate’s approval.
While delivering opening remarks at Wednesday’s White House Coronavirus Task Force daily briefing, Trump claimed that 129 unconfirmed nominees were stuck in limbo because of “partisan obstruction” by Democrats despite the fact that Republicans—in particular Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican committee chairs—control the pace at which nominees are confirmed.
One such nominee—Michael Pack—is Trump’s pick to lead the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which runs the widely-respected Voice of America news service. Both Republican and Democratic senators have expressed concern that Pack is too partisan a figure for the position, and have so far declined to take any action on his nomination.
Pack, Trump said, has been “stuck in committee for two years, preventing us from managing the Voice of America,” despite the fact that the agency is legally prohibited from taking editorial direction from the country’s political leadership.
“If you heard what’s coming out of the Voice of America, it’s disgusting—what things they say are disgusting toward our country,” Trump said. “And Michael Pack can’t get in. He’d do a great job, but he’s been waiting now for two years.”
“The Senate’s practice of gaveling into so-called pro forma sessions where no one is even there has prevented me from using the constitutional authority that we’re giving under the recess provisions,” he continued. “The Senate should either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees or it should formally adjourn. So that I can make recess appointments.”
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