Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday that he is open to the idea of adjourning Congress so that President-elect Donald Trump can appoint his Cabinet nominees through a recess appointment, rather than the typical Senate confirmation process. Johnson expressed concern that a drawn-out confirmation process could be detrimental to the country given the current partisan climate in Washington. He mentioned that the Senate should ideally provide advice and consent for nominees, but if the process becomes stalled, a recess appointment could be considered.
For the recess appointment process to take place, both the House and Senate would have to vote to adjourn for at least 10 days. This is typically prevented by pro forma sessions to avoid the president making recess appointments. Johnson and other Trump allies have left the door open to using recess appointments if necessary, as a last resort.
Johnson also discussed concerns surrounding Trump’s pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is facing allegations of misconduct. He opposes the release of an Ethics Committee report on Gaetz, arguing that jurisdiction does not extend to non-members of Congress. Johnson emphasized that Gaetz’s nomination will undergo thorough review and vetting in the Senate, despite controversy surrounding his nomination. He clarified that he has not discussed the ethics report with President-elect Trump.
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