Top senators are detaining Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., to account for the health problems of the newly confirmed Navy chief, whose nomination, along with hundreds of other military jobs, has been blocked for months by Tuberville.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., both suggested Tuesday that Tuberville’s retention may have led to the commander’s recent emergency hospitalization of the Navy Eric Smith.
Noting that Smith has apparently “suffered a serious setback,” Blumenthal told reporters, “There is a possibility that he may not return” to his job. The senator said the episode “only re-emphasizes how Tuberville’s control is a desperate threat to our national security.”
“I’m very frustrated and angry that this oversight is continuing,” Blumenthal said, vowing to press Tuberville “even more vigorously.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday he continues to believe Tuberville’s hold on high-level military promotions in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy is “a bad idea.”
“I’m sure you remember I said this is a bad idea a long time ago,” McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters. “I still think it’s a bad idea, especially applied to non-politicians.”
Tuberville forced a vote in September on three major military promotions, including Smith, who was hospitalized over the weekend.
Reed, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also suggested Tuesday that the general’s health emergency could be a result of Tuberville’s retention, according to Politico.
“I think one of the reasons it contributed to his condition was that he was working two jobs at the same time,” Reed told the network in a brief interview. “I read where he worked from 5 to 11 at night. As a result, if I had, as is normal, an assistant, it could be turned off.”
Tuberville has blocked hundreds of uncontroversial top military promotions from moving quickly through the Senate en masse, arguing that the Senate should do its job and vote on each promotion individually unless the Defense Department changes its reproductive health policy.
Last month, Alabama Sen forced to vote in three military promotions, incl Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown and Smith.
There is no assistant commander confirmed by the Senate because of the Tuberville deadlock.
“I have been among those trying to get Senator Tuberville to voice his opposition in a different way from people who actually do politics as opposed to our military heroes who have sworn to stay out of politics,” he said. McConnell.
Lindsey McPherson contributed to this report.
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