Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, issued a warning to Democrats Friday over their continued attempts to block Trump administration cabinet nominees: tread lightly.
King appeared on CNN's "New Day" and was asked about EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has come under fire by Democrats for what they say are ethics violations.
"The standards have been raised to a place here that I would say to the Democrats, you better remember how you're conducting yourselves today because one day you might well be back in the majority and trying to confirm and sustain appointments to the cabinet for a Democrat president," King said.
"If these standards are applied to the next presidency, it's going to be really hard to get anybody to serve in the next administration."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was confirmed Thursday in a 57-42 vote, one of the closest margins in recent history. Every past nominee for the job since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Trump's first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who got 56.
And on Thursday, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Dr. Ronny Jackson withdrew his name from consideration after Democrats told the media of anonymous allegations leveled against Jackson. He was accused of overprescribing medication in his role as White House physician, drinking on the job, and crashing a car while drunk. Jackson denied the charges but ultimately pulled his nomination.
"When people make allegations, it doesn't mean that they're true," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Newsmax TV Thursday. "You need to hear both sides."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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