House Republican Whip and Minnesota 6th District Rep. Tom Emmer says he likes all the cabinet picks made so far by President-elect Donald Trump.
Speaking to Blois Olson on WCCO's Sunday Take, Emmer says that Trump is doing what he promised to do.
"Across the board, President Trump is nominating people who are going to shake up the status quo in Washington," Emmer says. "That's not a bad thing. You can't fix Washington with Washington insiders. I think President Trump was given a mandate to make change and he's bringing outsiders in from around the country to get it done. I think that's a good thing."
Emmer says there are always opponents to cabinet selections, adding that all of the people selected will follow the "Trump agenda."
Emmer says the recent Election shows that there are a lot of people that want change in how the country is run and that it's up to Republicans, now in charge of the Senate, the House and in the White House, to support that voter confidence.
"Over the next two years, it's going to be able to show America, 'this is what you voted for, and they delivered.' If we can do that, I think that's going to translate into better opportunities for Republicans in two years," Emmer explains.
Emmer says the same thing is happening in Minnesota after Republicans broke up the trifecta of Democrats holding the State House, State Senate, and Governor's Office. There is an even split now in the House between the two parties but the DFL still controls the other two bodies.
Democrats concerned about recess appointments
Meanwhile, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D- MN) is concerned about the possibility that some of President-elect Trump's Cabinet picks aren't getting FBI background checks and says that's an issue. Trump’s transition team has so far not signed the requisite agreements that allow the FBI to screen his personnel choices, sending nominees before the Senate without the typical vetting that happens beforehand.
"We require these background checks of line DEA agents, drug enforcement agents," explained Klobuchar on ABC's This Week. "We require (them) of first time prosecutors for the federal government. Why wouldn't we get these background checks for the most important jobs in the United States government?"
Klobuchar says she's worried that this will ultimately delay the confirmation hearings.
"And I don't want to have a delay. I want to have the hearings," the senator said. "I want to make a decision on each one of them on the merits, as I've done in the past. And I can't do that without the background checks."
Klobuchar says if there's a delay in confirmation, some believe that Trump might bypass the Senate and do recess appointments. Republican Senators have enough votes to approve any Cabinet member without Democratic support. Republicans are set to have a 53-47 majority in the next Senate, so defections from just four Republicans would mean defeat for any nominee that doesn’t enjoy bipartisan support.
"It is our job under the Constitution to raise questions, to ask them where they stand on issues, to look at what they're going to do, whether it's running the Justice Department or running the Health Department," Klobuchar said. "If it's truly going to help the American people, that's our job in the end. It's going to be the Republicans in the U.S. Senate, their decision about whether they want to put these people in place."
Trump chooses Cabinet at a speedy clip
Trump has made most of his major picks with a string of choices Friday and the selection of Brooke Rollins for Agriculture on Saturday.
The withdrawal of Matt Gaetz as Trump’s nominee for attorney general dramatically affirmed that the Senate still maintains its “advice and consent” powers when it comes to vetting and installing a president’s Cabinet. Yet it may be only a brief reprieve from the intense struggles to come as Senate Republicans try to preserve their constitutional role.
Trump has been making his Cabinet announcements at a rapid clip, often over social media, and frequently catching GOP senators off guard. Gaetz’s selection on Nov. 13, in particular, left Republicans shocked and momentarily dumbfounded. His withdrawal just over a week later came just as suddenly, leaving many grasping for words.
Within hours, Trump had moved on, announcing on social media that he had selected another loyalist, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, to run the Justice Department. Over the weekend, Trump filled out the rest of his Cabinet selections.
The dizzying speed of the picks has given Trump’s second term in office a bracing start, a show of force from a president-elect who has made clear he intends to fill his administration with officials who are willing to upend the ways of Washington. His desire to pack the government with loyalists and wield executive power in expansive ways seems certain to result in frequent clashes with Congress, even with Republicans in control.
“From what I’m hearing from my Republican colleagues on everything from defense secretary to other posts, it sounds like they are ready to roll over for Mr. Trump,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Republican senators are choosing their words carefully as they size up Trump’s proposed Cabinet, while also issuing gentle reminders about their role in the confirmation process.
“The constitutional directive is clear, and it does not change based upon the personalities involved,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican. “The way I approach it, the president has a responsibility to make nominations, and we give him the benefit of the doubt, but we do have a responsibility for ‘advice and consent.’”
Gaetz’s nomination was sunk after Republican senators had privately become wary of a volatile confirmation hearing amid allegations he had sex with an underage girl. As many as four to six GOP senators were signaling their reservations, according to one outgoing Republican senator, Mike Braun of Indiana, though the number was certainly higher.
So far, Trump’s nominees have included for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality who was accused of sexual assault, which he denies; for secretary for health and human services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has also faced allegations of sexual misconduct as well as concern about his opposition to vaccines; and for national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic House member who has echoed Russian propaganda and talking points.
Those picks fall outside the Republican mainstream and are a notable departure from when Trump entered the White House the first time and mostly chose from the ranks of Republican officials well-respected across Washington.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.