Kash Patel

With Confirmation Of Pete Hegseth, Can Any Trump Nominee Be Defeated?

With the reality that the US Senate confirmed, by a tie vote broken by Vice President JD Vance, the nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, one must wonder will there ever be FOUR Republican Senators who will stand in the way of any Donald Trump nominee?

One could argue that the defense of the nation, the protection of all Americans, is endangered by having a Secretary of Defense, who has zero qualifications for the position, and has a history of alcohol problems and sexual promiscuity, which could make him suspect of being compromised by foreign spies, in a worst possible scenario.

But with the reality that this nomination went through, is there any hope of any of the other objectionable nominees being stopped?

Tulsi Gabbard is a real security risk if she becomes Director of National Intelligence.

Kash Patel is a danger if he is made head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the next decade, the worst possible nominee since J. Edgar Hoover passed away in 1972.

And Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, a true loose cannon with drug and alcohol problems and delusional behavior and beliefs, is a massive threat to the health and safety of 340 million Americans, with his anti vaccine lunacy and denial of basic science.

So the question arises: Can four Republican Senators be counted upon to reject any or all of these controversial nominees?

One would hope Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins might follow through, but can they be expected to reject all three of these controversial nominees?

Can Mitch McConnell do so as well, considering his concerns about national security and foreign policy, and his having had polio as a child?

But will anyone else, such as Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who is a doctor and has expressed concern about RFK Jr’s crazy views on public health?

What about John Curtis, the new Utah Senator who replaced Mitt Romney, and was thought to be a likely vote to oppose Hegseth, but did not do so?

What about James Lankford of Oklahoma, who had been a co-sponsor of immigration legislation in 2024 that Trump convinced Republicans to refuse to support?

What about Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who wavered on Hegseth and ended up supporting him in the end?

And then, there are rumors that Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania might support one of more of these three controversial nominees, and even, crazily, that Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse might support RFK Jr, who was a college friend decades ago.

Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins And? Will Trump Nominees Be Stopped?

Two Republican women Senators, considered the most “moderate” in the party caucus, have come out in committee against the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have made clear that they are unhappy with Hegseth’s statements in the past against women in the military, although he has backed off on that idea recently.

Murkowski does not face an election until 2028, and already in the past, had kept her seat as an Independent in one election race. And Susan Collins has hinted she may not run for reelection in 2026, but even if she does, she is in a strong position in a state that is more “Blue”, but her ability to keep her seat has been strong in the past. She has served 28 years and is the longest serving female Republican Senator in American history.

The question is whether there are two more Republicans who will have the guts and courage to join Murkowski and Collins. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, former Majority and Minority Leader, is a “free spirit” in his last two years in the upper chamber, who disagrees with Donald Trump on foreign and defense policy, so might rebel against Hegseth.

Joni Ernst of Iowa seemed a possible negative vote, but was pressured in her home state to support Hegseth, and therefore looks likely to vote for him despite some qualms.

As stated by this author and blogger in an earlier post on January 12, there are a few other Republican Senators who might, hopefully, join in opposition, particularly the new Utah Senator John Curtis, seen as similar in moderation as was Mitt Romney, plus Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina!

If not voting against Hegseth, there is greater possibility that some of this group will vote against other objectionable nominees, including Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Kash Patel.

Trump Cabinet Hearings: Possibility Of Rejection By Some Republican Senators!

With one week until the inauguration of Donald Trump to a second non-consecutive term, the time has arrived for the consideration of the approval or rejection of his Cabinet nominees.

There are so many controversial nominees, and one wonders if there are Republican Senators who are willing to come out against such individuals as:

Pete Hegseth–Secretary of Defense
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.–Secretary of Health and Human Services
Tulsi Gabbard—Director of National Intelligence
Kash Patel—Federal Bureau of Investigation Head

And there are others who are also objectionable on verious grounds, but likely will sail through, but with the above having the likelihood of some being rejected.

Who would be candidates for voting against some or all of these nominees, in order of likelihood:

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski
Utah Senator John Curtis
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell
Maine Senator Susan Collins
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford

Lack Of Principle And Guts Of So Many Republicans Disillusioning!

This author and blogger is so disillusioned at the lack of principle and guts of so many Republican Senators, as it seems more likely by the day that there will be little, if any, opposition to any of the most controversial Donald Trump Cabinet nominees.

By all reasonable judgment, the nominations of:

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense
Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services

should be rejected for a multitude of reasons.

And this does not include another objectionable nominee, Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security.

But at least four Senators would have to be willing to gamble their future and vote against, and that seems now highly unlikely.

Those most considered possible to oppose some, if not all, of these nominees, would include:

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Susan Collins of Maine
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
John Curtis of Utah (newly elected to succeed Mitt Romney)

Some other Republican Senators are also seen as possible holdouts, but not as likely as these four.

And even among these four, the truth is that Susan Collins is unreliable, and Mitch McConnell, despite his plans to retire, and his contempt for Donald Trump, cannot be considered in any way likely to vote against any of these nominees, when push comes to shove.

Murkowski and Curtis seem more likely, but the pressure on them and other Republicans is intense. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who first seemed likely to oppose Pete Hegseth, is now receiving blowback with her reelection race coming up in 2026, and Collins also faces reelection two years from now.

So the odds are that Trump will get all of his controversial Cabinet appointments confirmed, and the nation will face a Presidential cabinet with a number of ill qualified, and in some cases, totally terrifying, and reprehensible individuals who will undermine America and its population for the next four years at a minimum.

So this blogger and author is taking a break, escaping from the morass we are in, and will be back near the end of the year!

Preemptive Pardons Essential To Protect Courageous Leaders!

There is growing discussion of the concept of “preemptive” pardons being given by President Joe Biden, to a whole group of political figures who helped investigate and bring Donald Trump and others around him to legal accountability, particularly for the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection, but also other illegal activities.

The list could include all members of the January 6 House Committee that investigated the Insurrection, but also others who have been openly critical of Donald Trump over the years, which is legion in numbers.

The fear is that Donald Trump and his FBI nominee Kash Patel want revenge and retribution against political “enemies”, and even those in journalism and the media, which makes for a list that could be massive.

Clearly, not everyone who might be endangered by civil or criminal charges that might be brought by the FBI can be calculated, as to the risk of prosecution.

But beyond the list this author and blogger presented two days ago, there is real concern about such politically courageous figures as:

Liz Cheney
Adam Kinzinger
Adam Schiff
Jamie Raskin
General Mark Milley
Prosecutor Jack Smith

and innumerable Trump Administration employees who broke with Trump.

Even Dr Anthony Fauci, who had such a sterling career since Ronald Reagan onward, has become the target of those lunatics who think that the Pandemic and response to it was mishandled, a disgraceful lie!

And there is danger to the free press, including the NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS, among others.

We are entering dark times, brought about by the stupidity, ignorance, and self-centeredness of so many Americans, including people I know personally, who only care about “Me, Myself and I”, and not the nation at large.

At this rate, our American democracy, rule of law, and enforcement of the Constitution is in dire straits!

Kash Patel’s “Deep State” List For Prosecution: Dire Threat To American Democracy!

Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI head, Kash Patel, is a danger to American democracy, and would revive the bad, abusive record of J. Edgar Hoover from 1924-1972.

The FBI was reformed after Hoover’s passing, and the ten year term of service was designed to take the organization out of politics, but now Trump wants this evil man, who talks about the “deep state”, to begin prosecution of a long list of political, government, and media leaders.

This is outrageous, and endangers the nation dramatically if this unqualified and dangerous man is given power to do what he wants.

Among those he wishes to prosecute (of a longer list) are the following 25 individuals:

Joe Biden
Kamala Harris
Hillary Clinton
James Comey
John Brennan
John Bolton
Bill Barr
Lloyd Austin
Mark Esper
Merrick Garland
Gina Haspel
Eric Holder
Cassidy Hutchinson
Andrew McCabe
General Mark Milley
Lisa Monaco
Robert Mueller
John Podesta
Samantha Power
Rod Rosenstein
Jake Sullivan
Miles Taylor
Alexander Vindman
Christopher Wray
Sally Yates

These are Democrats, Republicans, intelligence officials, Justice Department officials, people who exposed the corruption of Donald Trump, and others who were concerned about abuses of power under Trump.

The fact that the FBI appointment is a ten year term, not just while a President is in office, makes this nomination the most dangerous of all of Trump’s appointments, and must be fought bitterly to prevent Patel from accomplishing his evil intentions!

Trump Appointments In November Finish With Kash Patel As FBI Head, An Alarming Development!

Donald Trump finished the appointment process in the three weeks since he won the Presidential Election of 2024, with the very disturbing appointment of Kash Patel, an extreme loyalist, as new head of the FBI, effectively shortening the ten year term of Christopher Wray that he made upon taking office in his first term in 2017.

The FBI’s past included the corrupt leadership of J. Edgar Hoover from 1924-1972, but with the agency having been reformed in the half cantury since then.

But now a lot of the corruption and abuse of power of that half century is likely to return, as Patel has made it clear he is out to pursue revenge against those who pursued the scandals and corruption of Trump in his first term, which led to two impeachments and four indictments.

Patel has threatened retribution against “deep state” officials he plans to target. He has also attacked the news media, therefore potentially making the FBI an agency out of control, with the intent of “cleaning house” in that agency and setting out to prosecute those he considers “enemies” of Donald Trump who “caused” his prosecutions, including the events of January 6, 2021.

Patel would need to be confirmed by the US Senate, and he adds to the list of highly objectionable nominees, and the question arises, how many, if any of these individuals, can be rejected by the Senate and yet not be put into office by so called “recess” appointments!