Donald Trump demands prompt and perfunctory confirmation of his cabinet officers through recess appointment. This should be denied. Consider a few relevant facts.
The Democratic Senate will serve until at least December. The new Senate, with a clear Republican majority of at least 53, will then convene. There should be no difficulty, therefore, confirming qualified, even controversial, nominees.
Donald Trump won’t even be President until January 20. Then he can nominate.
The Senate is charged by the Constitution with advice and consent, not just consent. Read The Federalist. Recess appointments are constitutionally limited to those rare but urgent moments when the Senate literally cannot convene. This is not one of those moments.
As the Wall Street Journal noted, what Trump proposes is not just unconstitutional; it is “anti constitutional”.
The perplexity about why Donald Trump might even propose such a bizarre procedure as recess appointment vanished when he announced his nominee for Attorney General — Matt Gaetz.
I am Bob Evans and that is my perspective.
