HE MUST GO – OVERNIGHT:  Bidden has made a disastrous choice in his nomination of Health and Human Services secretary.  Republicans are on the case, but need some Democratic help to block the nomination.  From Fox: 

Fresh off President Biden withdrawing Neera Tanden's nomination for head of the Office of Management and Budget, Republicans are now looking to prevent the confirmation of Health and Human Services nominee Xavier Becerra.

Hours after Tanden requested to be removed from consideration due to opposition from both sides of the aisle, the Senate Finance Committee will vote on Becerra's nomination Wednesday morning. A number of Republicans have already voiced concern over Becerra's professional background, believing the California attorney general is not qualified to lead HHS.

"I would've been willing to vote for somebody, absolutely, but you've got to at least know something about the subject matter," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said after Becerra's confirmation hearing, according to The Hill.

"If I as a doctor was appointed to be the attorney general of the United States of America, what would you think?  That's kind of odd," he continued.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also reportedly called Becerra’s nomination "a puzzling selection for this critical post," and Fox News has learned that Finance Committee member Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, plans to vote against Becerra.

If a majority of the committee — whose membership is split evenly among Democrats and Republicans — do not agree to report favorably to the Senate on Becerra's nomination, it may still opt to report without any recommendation. This would still allow the full Senate to move forward with its vote.

Timed to coincide with Wednesday's vote, conservative group Heritage Action for America is launching an ad campaign that targets West Virginia and Arizona, the homes of moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. While neither senator is on the Finance Committee, their decisions when nominations are brought to the Senate floor can be pivotal. If every Republican opposes a nominee, a no vote from either Democrat would be enough to sink a Cabinet pick.

UPDATE TO THIS STORY – FROM REUTERS: 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Finance Committee deadlocked on Wednesday over President Joe Biden's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, raising questions about Democrats' ability to overcome Republican opposition to the California attorney general.

The 14-14 party-line vote sent Becerra's nomination to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for further action. Under new rules to deal with the 50-50 Senate split between the two parties, either can file a motion to bypass a tied committee and bring matters straight to the Senate floor with a separate procedural vote.

Becerra's fate will depend on Senate Democrats' ability to stick together and support him, possibly with a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The defection of one moderate Democrat, Joe Manchin, derailed the nomination of Biden's pick as budget director, Neera Tanden, especially given the lack of Republican support, but administration officials suggested that was an isolated case given lawmakers' frustration over Tanden's past tweets.
A spokesman for Manchin could not immediately be reached for comment on Becerra's nomination.

COMMENT:  Biden could have easily filled this position with a better-qualified nominee.  Wonder why he didn't.

March 3, 2021