Trumps new weapon? His Cabinet

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Or so they say.

President Trump this week unleashed a new group of advocates in his failed push to convince the Senate to repeal ObamaCare: his Cabinet.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke were both used by Trump in the battle, highlighting the president’s willingness to exert pressure in new ways on lawmakers opposing his agenda.

The push — from two Cabinet secretaries without healthcare oversight — drew backlash from lawmakers with already strained relationship with the White House.

Zinke’s threats in a phone call to Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, in particular, led to rancor. The Interior secretary told the two Republican senators that the Trump administration might not support economic development efforts in their state if Murkowski didn’t support the GOP’s ObamaCare repeal effort. 

Sullivan told the Alaska Dispatch News that the call was “troubling.” Murkowski downplayed the matter publicly, telling reporters on Thursday that Zinke “shared with me was that the president was not pleased.”

“I think it’s very clear based on my conversation with the secretary that he was just sharing the concern that the president had expressed to him to pass on to me,” she added.

With her actions, Murkowski then appeared to illustrate the risks of Trump’s pressure campaign.
She voted against the “skinny” ObamaCare repeal measure, which failed in a 49-51 vote.

Democrats have raised ethical concerns with Zinke’s actions.

And she cancelled a Thursday Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing vote on six Interior and Energy nominees, an incident she called a “hiccup” unrelated to Zinke’s call. Murkowski chairs the panel, which writes Interior’s budget.

Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and inspector general to investigate the secretary's call to Murkowski and Sullivan.


http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/344400-trumps-new-weapon-his-cabinet#bottom-story-socials

[dsc]

1. yeah Interior is going to have so much fun trying to get appointees approved now

the chairs of committees are pretty powerful in that regard and she has already won one race as something other than the GOP's official nominee.