John Curtis says Senate should confirm or reject Trump’s nominees

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Sen.-elect John Curtis said the Senate should have the final say in confirming or rejecting President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees.

This comes as Trump has talked about bypassing Senate confirmation of his nominees and installing them immediately through what’s called a recess appointment.

In a statement to KSL TV Thursday, Curtis’s office strongly signaled the soon-to-be senator is not in favor of that.

“Senator-elect Curtis believes that every president is afforded a degree of deference to select his team and make nominations,” said Corey Norman, Curtis’s chief of staff. “He also firmly believes in and is committed to the Senate’s critical role to confirm or reject nominations based on information and insight from confirmation hearings.”

The nominees for President-elect Trump’s cabinet have been coming in fast and furious. They include more conventional picks like Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, for secretary of state, and more controversial choices like former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, for attorney general.

“That, I think, took everyone by surprise, including a lot of Republicans,” said Quin Monson, Brigham Young University political science professor, of Gaetz’s nomination. Gaetz has been under a House Ethics investigation for multiple allegations including sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, NBC News reported.

Now, the focus shifts to the U.S. Senate, which has the power to confirm the president-elect’s nominees.

“Millions of Americans gave President Trump a mandate to govern,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a statement, “and I look forward to swiftly confirming his nominees so they can start working for the American people.”

But in a recent post on social media, Trump said he wants to power to appoint his nominees directly through the process of recess appointments, which is permitted by the Constitution if the Senate is adjourned.

“Sometimes the votes can take two years or more,” Trump wrote. “This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!”

“The whole point of Donald Trump is, I think, to sometimes push the boundaries,” Monson said, “and so I wouldn’t be surprised if he does push the boundaries.”

As for Curtis, who recently won the election to replace Sen. Mitt Romney, Monson said he will be under a big spotlight as each nominee comes up.

“I could see him voting for a lot of them and drawing the line on one or two and saying this one’s not qualified or that one’s a bridge too far for me,” Monson said.

Curtis is often viewed as a more moderate Republican, although he recently told KSL TV he rejects that label. His office declined to provide comments on Trump’s specific nominees.