Senate Republicans excoriate Tommy Tuberville over military blockade
The IndependentSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Senate Republicans forcefully criticised their Alabama colleague, former college football coach Sen Tommy Tuberville, for his blockade of military nominees in protest of the Pentagon’s policy on abortion. “There some people that are waiting to be promoted, that if they don’t get promoted soon, they’re gonna be out of the military,” Mr Graham noted. “We’ll be coming here every night to try to get you confirmed.” The Alaska senator said on several occasions that Mr Tuberville had previously committed to voting on individual nominees but the Alabamian continued to demand that the Pentagon end the policy before he would allow any confirmations. In a statement to The Independent on Wednesday, Mr Tuberville’s Communications Director Steven Stafford said: “Coach is praying for a swift recovery for General Smith and he has gathered enough signatures on a cloture petition to force Senator Schumer to vote on confirming General Mahoney to be Assistant Commandant.” On Thursday morning, Mr Tuberville told reporters that the criticism he faced was “a little character assassination at times” but that he remains firm on his blockade.