Flashback: Murkowski voted to confirm 19 Biden Cabinet picks in defiance of GOP
2025-01-24
Category: political

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voted in favor of 19 out of 21 of former President Joe Biden's Cabinet nominees in 2021, a Fox News Digital analysis shows. Murkowski voted against the confirmation of former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and did not vote on former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh's appointment. She did vote in favor of Biden's Supreme Court nominee, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. SENATE CHAIRMAN CRITICIZES ‘ANONYMOUS SOURCES WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES,’ STANDS BY HEGSETH NOMINATION  Alaska's senior senator is facing a barrage of attacks from President Donald Trump's supporters over her opposition to his nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth. "I commend Pete Hegseth’s service to our nation, including leading troops in combat and advocating for our veterans. However, these accomplishments do not alleviate my significant concerns regarding his nomination," Murkowski said in a lengthy statement posted to X this week. She expressed concerns about his lack of relevant experience on Pentagon policy, as well as allegations that he mismanaged two veterans organizations he previously led, and accusations of sexual assault and excessive drinking – all of which Hegseth has denied. "While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces," Murkowski wrote. MODERATE REPUBLICAN MURKOWSKI WON'T BACK TRUMP PICK HEGSETH FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY  Among those who criticized her stance was Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a former Navy SEAL. Van Orden targeted Murkowski for voting for Biden Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over his leadership during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. "You voted for the two men responsible for the murder of these 13 heroes. The internet is forever, your time in office is not," Van Orden wrote on X, in reference to the service members killed during a suicide bombing in Kabul. "I strongly encourage you to fire the staff that gave you this horrible advice and wrote your X post." However, some on the right agree with Murkowski. One GOP lawmaker previously told Fox News Digital about Hegseth, "The military fired people who behaved like Hegseth. Him being [Defense Secretary] will cause issues with discipline."  Murkowski told Politico in 2020 that "all presidents have right to their Cabinet" but it was the Senate's responsibility to make sure those people "are good, qualified credible candidates." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who is also opposing Hegseth, voted in favor of all of Biden's Cabinet nominees in 2021. Fox News Digital reached out to Murkowski's office for comment.