Senator Bob Casey, DEMOCRAT Pa. Votes NO on Trump Appointments!!!

[orangecrush]

At least three of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees won't be getting a "yes" vote from Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey when their nominations come to the Senate floor.

The Democratic lawmakers said Wednesday that he plans to vote against Department of Education nominee Betsy DeVos, Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions, and Environmental Protection Agency nominee Scott Pruitt.



https://www.google.com/amp/www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/capitol-ideas/mc-bob-casey-announces-no-votes-for-3-trump-cabinet-nominees-20170118-story,amp.html

Called him just now to thank and encourage.

Hope you do too.

202 - 224 - 6324

Got SPINE!!!

[guillaumeb]

1. Any Senator can put a hold on nominations.

One hopes that Senator Casey does so publicly, and explains why he did it. It would slow down the process and allow the Senator to explain for the media why he took his action.

[pangaia]

2. Then why don't any/all Democrats put a hold on ALL these appointments?

[guillaumeb]

5. I cannot answer that.

The GOP employed the hold tactic frequently during the Obama Presidency. But the hold can be overridden so it would not stop the nominees from being approved. It would delay and obstruct.

[MgtPA]

3. Here's Casey's statement:

“After meeting with Betsy DeVos to discuss her nomination to be Secretary of Education and participating in hearings as a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I have significant concerns about Ms. DeVos’ nomination. Ms. DeVos has no experience in public education and the education work she has done is centered upon pursuing efforts to undermine and privatize public schools. The education policies Ms. DeVos advocated for in Michigan have produced abysmal results for children. In Detroit, Ms. DeVos pushed for measures that substantially cut funding to public school students and diverted public dollars into taxpayer funded for-profit charter schools run by private companies with virtually no oversight or accountability standards. According to the Detroit Free Press the plan that Ms. DeVos pushed for ‘enabled a range of abuses in a system now responsible for more than 140,000 Michigan children.’ The Detroit Free Press investigation found:

‘Wasteful spending and double-dipping. Board members, school founders and employees steering lucrative deals to themselves or insiders. Schools allowed to operate for years despite poor academic records. No state standards for who operates charter schools or how to oversee them. And a record number of charter schools run by for-profit companies that rake in taxpayer money and refuse to detail how they spend it, saying they’re private and not subject to disclosure laws.’

“I’m concerned that Ms. DeVos would pursue policies for Pennsylvania students that The New York Times has found to have created ‘a public education fiasco that is perhaps unparalleled in the United States’ in Michigan. Pennsylvania has a near 200 year history of commitment to the public education of our children. In fact, 92 percent of students attend traditional public schools, and charter schools must be public, nonprofit corporations, not for-profit entities. Ms. DeVos has also funded radical organizations that have sought to weaken protections for victims of campus sexual assault and undermine civil rights protections for LGBT students and students with disabilities. I fought hard to pass into law the Campus SaVE Act, which put in place uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses. I am offended that President-elect Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education has supported efforts to make it harder for campus sexual assault victims to receive justice. Ms. DeVos’ answer to my question, in which she refused to commit to enforcing the current law on campus sexual assault contained in Title IX, was not acceptable. It is not ‘premature’ for a nominee to be Secretary of Education to commit to enforcing campus sexual assault laws. Ms. DeVos would take public education in our nation backward and make it harder for public school students in Pennsylvania to achieve their potential. I will vote against her nomination.”

https://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-announces-voting-decision-on-three-top-cabinet-nominees

[orangecrush]

4. BRAVO!!!

Go Bob!!!

[guillaumeb]

6. Well put, and Senator Casey could read those objections

at a press conference if he decided to place a public hold on the nominee.

[orangecrush]

7. ...

Casey will vote against confirmation of DeVos, Sessions, Pruitt
January 19, 2017 12:31 AM



Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette



In a statement this afternoon, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey said he had decided to vote not to confirm three of President-Elect Donald Trump's most controversial nominees: Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos, Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator nominee Scott Pruitt.

Mr. Casey said he came to the decisions after "deliberations, hearings, and review of available paperwork," and offered a justification for opposing each candidate.

He said he had "significant concerns" about Ms. Devos, noting that she "has no experience in public education," and charging that her advocacy "centered upon pursuing efforts to undermine and privatize public schools"; Ms. DeVos' advocacy on behalf of charter and private schools has given even some charter supporters pause.



Mr. Casey also singled out Ms. DeVos for her support of "radical organizations that have sought to weaken protections for victims of campus sexual assault." That's an apparent reference to groups like the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which has contested federal efforts to compel universities to act more aggressively on campus sex crimes. Mr. Casey himself sponsored legislation to establish uniform requirements for reporting such crime on campus.

"I am offended that President-elect Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education has supported efforts to make it harder for campus sexual assault victims to receive justice," he said.

As for Ms. Sessions, Mr. Casey cited "a fundamental disagreement" on voting rights, and a vote Mr. Sessions took as Senator to oppose non-binding language asserting that immigrants should not be banned based on their religion. Mr. Trump has said he favored such a ban as an anti-terror measure, though he has since backed away from that position.

Mr. Casey noted that as an Attorney General in Oklahoma, Mr. Pruitt had repeatedly sued the government over environmental regulations, including those to limit mercury and ozone emissions. He also cited a 2014 New York Times story that reported Mr. Pruitt essentially copy-and-pasted an energy company's objections to some regulations, forwarding it to the EPA as the position of his office.

"On behalf of the children of Pennsylvania, who deserve clean water to drink, clean air to breathe and action on climate change, I will vote against Mr. Pruitt’s nomination," Mr. Casey said.


http://www.post-gazette.com/early-returns/ernational/2017/01/18/Casey-will-vote-against-confirmation-of-DeVos-Sessions-Pruitt/stories/201701180179

[guillaumeb]

8. That is different from a hold.

The GOP holds a majority on every Committee, so a vote is pro forma only. A hold, on the other hand, would delay the vote.

[orangecrush]

9. Thanks for explaining

Shooting off an email now asking him to do just that.

[orangecrush]

10. Email SENT!

I would dearly love to see this happen.

[guillaumeb]

11. Both of us.

The GOP used this maneuver constantly during Obama's Presidency. Now that they have power, they are rushing to get all of Trump's nominees confirmed as if there is a vital urgency here. They delayed Obama's nominees, let the GOP encounter a bit of the same obstructionism.

[orangecrush]

12. If it doesn't happen

We know we are sunk.

[lark]

13. Wow, Casey is a often a DINO,

but this time the Dem is coming out in him! Way to go Casey!!

[DeminPennswoods]

14. Absolutely not true

Bob Casey is not his dad, but like his dad, and Tim Kaine, he holds to the entirety of the Catholic Social Teachings. He absolutely does not let his personal religious views interfere with his support for services like Planned Parenthood. If there is an anti-Trump, it is Sen Casey.

[orangecrush]

16. I admit

To being pleasantly suprised.

Bob is, imo, a man of honor.

[coco22]

15. Really???

[orangecrush]

17. Bob leans toward centrism

But apparently he sees the danger we are in.

[coco22]

21. It took that long to realize it..

he must realize it may affect him and his family somehow,at very critical moments over the years he always hedges,hems and haws.

[barbtries]

18. they're all the biggest "NOES" in history.

thank you Bob Casey

[orangecrush]

19. Just put

The DC office # in the op!

All calls will help!

[barbtries]

24. good idea

it's not my OP though, i'm in NC

[Hortensis]

20. Hope his speaking up will be a rallying cry.

[orangecrush]

25. Same here

He is giving us a voice.

[Mr. Evil]

22. And what about all those Goldman Sachs appointees?

Seems that Trump is trying to fill a need for more localized personal funding and money laundering.

[Initech]

23. The whole lot of 'em should be in jail, not at the highest levels of government.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

26. I don't mean to be ungrateful, but the fact that we are jumping up and down

because one Democrat voted against the evil empire is deeply disturbing. Every single one of them should be voting no on every single one of them!

[orangecrush]

28. Because

Every minute we delay them slows them down from reaching their objectives so we can turn the tables in the midterms and put the brakes on this jackass.

[vi5]

27. Why would ANY Dem vote yes?!?!? On any of them?!?!

The thing is, they are going to get the jobs because Republicans have the majority. So what the hell would any Dem stand to gain by getting their hands dirty putting their stamp of approval on any of these clowns?

[orangecrush]

29. Excellent point

I hope there is a united party to stand against Trump.