A vote expected to solidify Rep. Tom Price’s (R-GA) position as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services was delayed Tuesday after Democratic senators boycotted it.
The boycott was announced shortly before the Senate Finance Committee was set to vote on Price, as well as treasury secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin. The move blocked the committee from voting, since at least one Democrat must be in attendance for a vote to take place.
In a press conference the boycotting senators said they want more insight into Price’s financial background, namely his investments in medical companies, after several reports raised questions about his dealings.
“We’ve made clear that we need additional information to make these judgments,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) added that “the truth matters.” Finance committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) responded that his Democratic colleagues need to “stop posturing and acting like idiots.”
“They’re going to vote no. They’ve made that very clear,” Hatch reportedly told the senators present for the vote. “What’s the matter with the other party? Are they that bitter about Donald Trump?”
A spokesperson for Wyden told Reuters that the intention of the boycott isn’t to postpone a vote indefinitely, rather to “resolve these issues and continue the markup [voting] soon.” A vote on Price’s nomination has yet to be rescheduled.
