What Trump is saying here is that he wants the new GOP Senate Majority Leader in January to take an immediate short recess, allowing Trump to immediately install a whole slate of appointees across the govt, without vetting or votes.
Of course it’s a breech of Article 1 powers…
Of course it’s a breech of Article 1 powers…
Presidential act of swamp mopping.
Recess appointments also expire at the end of their next “session”. In recent times, the Senate has held sessions that have been a full year long. So, unless the Senate holds hearings to permanently install them, these appointments would only last a year anyway. Two, max, if the Senate decides not to end it’s session at the end of the year in the middle of the two-year term, as is customary.
The idea is all sorts of dumb.
Trump appoints a slate of recess appointments. Senate comes back from recess, and holds a year-long session. Trump removes all his appointments. Senate starts a new session and immediately calls a recess. Trump re-appoints all his previous appointments that survived the year, and appoints new sycophants to the vacant positions. Senate resumes.
Rinse, wash, repeat.
Or, just hold the hearings like normal and not have to mess with any of that stuff. It’s not like Republicans don’t have the votes to approve anyone Trump appoints. Republicans don’t gain anything out of this move that they don’t already have.
I’m starting to think it’s just a big loyalty test. Trump wants the Senate to give it it’s power, willingly, with thunderous applause. It’s like a shitty Prequel meme.
Next up: Trump strongly suggests that all senators dance the Macarena while in session.
