Why We Do Not Take Positions on Senate Nominations

Just a few weeks after his victory in the presidential election, news and controversy over President-elect Donald Trump’s Senate nominations has begun to dominate the news cycle. The nominations will doubtless result in at least a few bitter confirmation battles in the U.S. Senate and continued questions about the Senate’s role to “advise and consent” on the selection of high officials. As in the last administration, many nominees are friends of mine and others at R Street.

While I personally believe that the Senate nomination processes should be more-or-less apolitical—senators should vet nominees for competence, morals, and honesty rather than policy views—that is not the way things work. Over the past 30 or so years, nearly all Senate nominations for important jobs have become quite political in nature.

As an organization that stays out of politics, R Street is not going to take a position on any nominations before the Senate. This means we will not sign letters or join coalitions opposing or supporting any nominee nor will we take an institutional position as to whether or not someone should come up for a vote. While taking a stand on a nomination may technically be within the law and our tax status as a 501c(3), the highly political nature of the process makes it inappropriate for us to take part as an organization. And, as the battles become ever-more bitter, staying out of them is ever-more important. This is not a new policy for us: I said the same thing, using similar words four years ago when President Biden’s nominees were moving forward.

That said, the staff of R Street are citizens and are entitled to express their own views. Because questions have been raised about the Senate’s role, it is quite possible we will be hosting events or writing commentary on the process, its merits, and its pitfalls. You may also see people from R Street offering commentary on nominees’ stated policy positions. However, anyone who weighs in for or against a nominee is doing so for themselves alone, not for us as an organization. We are interested in policy and process, not the individuals the President selects.