January, 21 2021, 11:00pm EDT
A Week of Obstruction Leaves Biden Administration Without Confirmed Cabinet, Including Key National Security Roles
President Biden was sworn in this week with fewer confirmed Cabinet secretaries than any other president in recent history. This was a result of unprecedented obstructionism from Senate Republicans who failed to keep the confirmation process moving for President Biden's nominees when they were in the majority. And although control of the Senate changed on Wednesday afternoon, Minority Leader McConnell is taking unprecedented, bad-faith steps to obstruct President Biden's Cabinet and his ability to implement his agenda.
WASHINGTON
President Biden was sworn in this week with fewer confirmed Cabinet secretaries than any other president in recent history. This was a result of unprecedented obstructionism from Senate Republicans who failed to keep the confirmation process moving for President Biden's nominees when they were in the majority. And although control of the Senate changed on Wednesday afternoon, Minority Leader McConnell is taking unprecedented, bad-faith steps to obstruct President Biden's Cabinet and his ability to implement his agenda.
On Tuesday, the Accountable Senate War Room released a lookback at Senate Republicans' failure to keep these nominations on track:
- Words of GOP Senators Come Back to Haunt Them
President-elect Biden has gathered a top-notch, highly qualified team of experts who are ready to tackle our country's toughest challenges. His team must be in place as quickly as possible to enact the agenda that millions of Americans support: to address the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritize the needs of working families ahead of special interests, and undo the damage caused by the last four years of the Trump administration. Further delaying the confirmation of President-elect Biden's nominees will only cement Senate Republicans' legacy as disrupters of the decades-long tradition of ensuring a swift transition of power from one administration to the next. It is the responsibility of these lawmakers during this lame-duck period to fulfill their oath of office, which includes preparing the next administration for leadership, regardless of their personal political beliefs. Any senator unable to do that should step down from their position and make room for leaders willing to put country over party. [1/19/2021]
We also highlighted the risks these delays pose to national security, and how Senator Josh Hawley, after helping incite a violent insurrection, can once again be found at the center of this national security threat:
- Watchdog Group Releases New Report Highlighting Hypocrisy of Republican Senators Who Once Urged the Speedy Confirmation of Cabinet Members for National Security
"To see the same Republican senators who clamored for the quick confirmation of Trump's nominees slow walk President-elect Biden's picks is the height of hypocrisy," said Mairead Lynn, spokesperson for Accountable Senate War Room. "By abdicating their responsibility to ensure a smooth transition of power and a swift confirmation process for Biden's national security picks, Senate Republicans have put our safety and the security of our nation at risk. It's time for these Republican senators to end their partisanship and hypocrisy and step aside and let President-elect Biden's experienced, crisis-tested team get to work." [1/18/2021] - American Independent: GOP senators suddenly don't care if anyone's in charge of national security
According to a report from the anti-corruption watchdog group Accountable.US, numerous Republicans who are current members of the Senate pressed hard for Trump's nominees to be confirmed quickly back in 2017, yet have been relatively silent as Biden prepares to take office with a pending Cabinet and national security team. [1/19/2021 - Watchdog Group: The American People Shouldn't Have to Pay the Price Because Hawley Feels the Need to Pander to Extreme Base
"After helping to incite a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Senator Hawley has the gall to block the incoming Biden administration from having the top homeland security official in place on day one," said Mairead Lynn, spokesperson for the Accountable Senate War Room. "Alejandro Mayorkas would be responsible for stopping future insurrectionist attacks against our country and this move by Hawley puts our national security at risk yet again. The American people shouldn't have to pay the price just because Hawley feels the need to pander to the extreme wing of his base." [1/19/2021] - As Hawley Once Again Puts National Security At Risk, Senate Must Reject His Antics and Quickly Confirm Mayorkas
After helping to incite a deadly attack against the Capitol, Senator Josh Hawley is now blocking the nomination of the person responsible for stopping violent insurrection attempts and other national security threats -- the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Hawley's role in the insurrection led seven Democratic senators to file an ethics complaint against him yesterday. While it's unsurprising that Hawley is once again putting the demands of his extreme base over national security, the Accountable Senate War Room is calling on the rest of the Senate to reject Hawley's sideshow, and come together to confirm this critical nominee as quickly as possible. [1/22/2021 - CNN: Senate confirms Avril Haines as director of national intelligence, the first Biden Cabinet nominee confirmed
Biden may struggle to get additional nominees confirmed quickly, as those confirmations could be stalled until Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer cut a deal on a resolution outlining how they'll share power in the Senate, GOP and Democratic senators said Wednesday. [1/20/2021 - POLITICO: Really quite shocking': Inside the ugly transition at the Pentagon
The effort to obstruct the Biden team, led by senior White House appointees at the Pentagon, is unprecedented in modern presidential transitions and will hobble the new administration on key national security matters as it takes over positions in the Defense Department on Wednesday, the officials said. [1/20/2021 - Business Insider: Trump officials in the Pentagon reportedly blocked Biden's transition team from accessing information on military operations, including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines
The Pentagon transition was uglier than previously known, Politico reported Wednesday, revealing that the political appointees at the Department of Defense muzzled generals and kept critical information from the incoming administration's transition team. Meetings on issues ranging from military operations in conflict zones to vaccines were canceled, delayed, or controlled in ways that made it difficult for the Biden transition team to get the information they needed, Politico reported, citing a number of Pentagon and transition officials. After his election loss, President Donald Trump fired his defense secretary and installed loyalists in top posts, an unprecedented move in an administration's final weeks. [1/21/2021]
Additionally, Accountable Senate War Room highlighted the overall hypocrisy demonstrated by Senate Republicans regarding the entire transition of power process:
- Watchdog Group: Rank Hypocrisy from Senators Who Suddenly Have Concerns About Deficit After Pouring Trillions into Tax Cuts for Rich
Now, when hard working American families need help more than ever, Republican senators are threatening to block much-needed aid for their suffering constituents and are pretending to be concerned about increasing the national debt, a hypocritical and dangerous stance that would have devastating implications for workers and families if it were allowed to obstruct COVID relief and economic support. [1/19/2021] - McConnell Obstruction Continues As He Refuses to Agree to Organizing Resolution, Further Slowing Down Biden's Cabinet Nominees
In a last-ditch effort to obstruct President Biden's Cabinet and agenda, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is refusing to agree to the organizing resolution that would allow Democrats to take control of committees and quickly confirm President Biden's Cabinet. [1/21/2021] - POLITICO: Democrats rebuff McConnell's filibuster demands
Senate Democrats are signaling they will reject an effort by Mitch McConnell to protect the legislative filibuster as part of a deal to run a 50-50 Senate, saying they have little interest in bowing to his demands just hours into their new Senate majority. McConnell has publicly and privately pressed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to work to keep the 60-vote threshold on most legislation as part of their power-sharing agreement. Democrats have no plans to gut the filibuster further, but argue it would be a mistake to take one of their tools off the table just as they're about to govern. [1/21/2021]
Finally, Accountable Senate War Room released a comparison of 2001, the last time there was a 50-50 Senate split, to 2021, and how under Democratic control of the Senate, Bush's nominees were confirmed in a timely manner:
- Flashback, 2001: In 50-50 Senate Under Democratic Control, Bush's Nominees "Breezed Through Their Senate Committee Hearings"
With Democrats controlling the Senate leading up to the 2001 Inauguration, they fulfilled their duty to ensure the incoming Bush administration was prepared to lead on day one, including holding hearings for 12 of President Bush's 14 Cabinet nominees before Inauguration Day. By contrast, following the 2020 election, Senate Republicans delayed, obstructed, and stalled the confirmation process for President-elect Biden's Cabinet. [1/21/2021]
Accountable.US is a nonpartisan watchdog that exposes corruption in public life and holds government officials and corporate special interests accountable by bringing their influence and misconduct to light. In doing so, we make way for policies that advance the interests of all Americans, not just the rich and powerful.
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Trump's 9 New Prescription Drug Deals 'No Substitute' for Systemic Reform
"Patients are overwhelmingly calling on Congress to do more to lower prescription drug prices by holding Big Pharma accountable and addressing the root causes of high drug prices," said one campaigner.
Dec 19, 2025
"Starting next year, American drug prices will come down fast and furious and will soon be the lowest in the developed world," President Donald Trump claimed Friday as the White House announced agreements with nine pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The administration struck most favored nation (MFN) pricing deals with Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi. The president—who has launched the related TrumpRx.gov—previously reached agreements with AstraZeneca, EMD Serono, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.
"The White House said it has made MFN deals with 14 of the 17 biggest drug manufacturers in the world," CBS News noted Friday. "The three drugmakers that were not part of the announcement are AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, and Regeneron, but the president said that deals involving the remaining three could be announced at another time."
However, as Trump and congressional Republicans move to kick millions of Americans off of Medicaid and potentially leave millions more uninsured because they can't afford skyrocketing premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, some critics suggested that the new drug deals with Big Pharma are far from enough.
"When 47% of Americans are concerned they won't be able to afford a healthcare cost next year, steps to reduce drug prices for patients are welcomed, especially by patients who rely on one of the overpriced essential medicines named in today's announcement," said Merith Basey, CEO of Patients for Affordable Drugs Now, in a statement.
"But voluntary agreements with drug companies—especially when key details remain undisclosed—are no substitute for durable, system-wide reforms," Basey stressed. "Patients are overwhelmingly calling on Congress to do more to lower prescription drug prices by holding Big Pharma accountable and addressing the root causes of high drug prices, because drugs don't work if people can't afford them."
As the New York Times reported Friday:
Drugs that will be made available in this way include Amgen's Repatha, for lowering cholesterol, at $239 a month; GSK's asthma inhaler, Advair Diskus, at $89 a month; and Merck's diabetes medication Januvia, at $100 a month.
Many of these drugs are nearing the end of their patent protection, meaning that the arrival of low-cost generic competition would soon have prompted manufacturers to lower their prices.
In other cases, the direct-buy offerings are very expensive and out of reach for most Americans.
For example, Gilead will offer Epclusa, a three-month regimen of pills that cures hepatitis C, for $2,492 a month on the site. Most patients pay far less using insurance or with help from patient assistance programs. Gilead says on its website that "typically a person taking Epclusa pays between $0 and $5 per month" with commercial insurance or Medicare.
While medication prices are a concern for Americans who face rising costs for everything from groceries to utility bills, the outcome of the ongoing battle on Capitol Hill over ACA tax credits—which are set to expire at the end of the year—is expected to determine how many people can even afford to buy health insurance for next year.
The ACA subsidies fight—which Republicans in the US House of Representatives ignored in the bill they passed this week before leaving Capitol Hill early—has renewed calls for transitioning the United States from its current for-profit healthcare system to Medicare for All.
"At the heart of our healthcare crisis is one simple truth: Corporations have too much power over our lives," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said on social media Friday. "Medicare for All is how we take our power back and build a system that puts people over profits."
Jayapal reintroduced the Medicare for All Act in April with Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The senator said Friday that some of his top priorities in 2026 will be campaign finance reform, income and wealth inequality, the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence, and Medicare for All.
Earlier this month, another backer of that bill, US Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), said: "We must stop tinkering around the edges of a broken healthcare system. Yes, let's extend the ACA tax credits to prevent a huge spike in healthcare costs for millions. Then, let's finally create a system that puts your health over corporate profits. We need Medicare for All."
It's not just progressives in Congress demanding that kind of transformation. According to Data for Progress polling results released late last month, 65% of likely US voters—including 78% of Democrats, 71% of Independents, and 49% of Republicans—either strongly or somewhat support "creating a national health insurance program, sometimes called 'Medicare for All.'"
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President Donald Trump—the self-described "most anti-war president in history"—on Friday said the US military is "striking very strongly" against Islamic State strongholds in Syria following the killing of two Iowa National Guard members and an American civilian interpreter in the Mideast nation.
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"We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated," the president continued. "The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, is fully in support."
"All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned—YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.," he added.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X that "earlier today, US forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on US forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria."
According to the Wall Street Journal, Jordanian warplanes also took part in Friday's attacks, which reportedly hit more than 70 targets in Syria.
"This is not the beginning of a war—it is a declaration of vengeance," said Hegseth. "The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people. As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans—anywhere in the world—you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue."
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that one of Friday's airstrikes killed ISIS leader Abu Yusif in Dayr az Zawr province in eastern Syria.
“As stated before, the United States—working with allies and partners in the region—will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute," CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement. "ISIS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria. We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria."
During his first term, Trump followed through on his promise to "bomb the shit out of" ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq, killing thousands of civilians in a campaign launched by former President Barack Obama in 2014. Trump prematurely declared victory over ISIS in 2018.
Since then, the Biden and Trump administrations have bombed Syria, where around 1,000 US troops remain.
During his second term, Trump has ordered attacks on Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and boats allegedly transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. The president—who says he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize—has also deployed warships and thousands of troops for a possible war on Venezuela.
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Mitt "47%" Romney's Post-Career Call to Tax the Rich Met With Kudos and Criticism
"When Romney had real power," noted journalist David Sirota, "he fortified the rigged tax system that he's only now criticizing from the sidelines."
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In a leaked fundraiser footage from the 2012 US presidential campaign, Republican candidate Mitt Romney infamously claimed that 47% of Americans are people "who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it." On Friday, the former US senator from Utah published a New York Times opinion piece titled, "Tax the Rich, Like Me."
"In 2012, political ads suggested that some of my policy proposals, if enacted, would amount to pushing grandma off a cliff. Actually, my proposals were intended to prevent that very thing from happening," Romney began the article, which was met with a range of reactions. "Today, all of us, including our grandmas, truly are headed for a cliff: If, as projected, the Social Security Trust Fund runs out in the 2034 fiscal year, benefits will be cut by about 23%."
"Typically, Democrats insist on higher taxes, and Republicans insist on lower spending. But given the magnitude of our national debt as well as the proximity of the cliff, both are necessary," he argued. "On the spending-cut front... Social Security and Medicare benefits for future retirees should be means-tested—need-based, that is to say—and the starting age for entitlement payments should be linked to American life expectancy."
"And on the tax front, it's time for rich people like me to pay more," wrote Romney, whose estimated net worth last year, when he announced his January 2025 retirement from the Senate, was $235 million. "I long opposed increasing the income level on which FICA employment taxes are applied (this year, the cap is $176,100). No longer; the consequences of the cliff have changed my mind."
"The largest source of additional tax revenues is also probably the most compelling for fairness and social stability. Some call it closing tax code loopholes, but the term 'loopholes' grossly understates their scale. 'Caverns' or 'caves' would be more fitting," he continued, calling for rewriting capital gains tax treatment rules for "mega-estates over $100 million."
"Sealing the real estate caverns would also raise more revenue," Romney noted. "There are more loopholes and caverns to be explored and sealed for the very wealthy, including state and local tax deductions, the tax rate on carried interest, and charity limits on the largest estates at death."
Some welcomed or even praised Romney's piece. Iowa state Rep. JD Scholten (D-1), a progressive who has previously run for both chambers of Congress, declared on social media: "Tax the rich! Welcome to the coalition, Mitt!"
US House Committee on the Budget Ranking Member Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), who is part of the New Democrat Coalition, said: "I welcome this op-ed by Mitt Romney and encourage people to read it. As the next chair of the House Budget Committee, increasing revenue by closing loopholes exploited by the wealthiest Americans will be a top priority."
Progressive Saikat Chakrabarti, who is reportedly worth at least $167 million and is one of the candidates running to replace retiring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), responded: "Even Mitt Romney now agrees that we need to tax the wealthiest. I call for a wealth tax on our billionaires and centimillionaires."
Michael Linden, a senior policy fellow at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, said: "Kudos to Mitt Romney for changing his mind and calling for higher taxes on the rich. I'm not going to nitpick his op-ed (though there are a few things I disagree with), because the gist of it is right: We need real tax reform to make the rich pay more."
Others pointed to Romney's record, including the impactful 47% remarks. The Lever's David Sirota wondered, "Why is it that powerful people typically wait until they have no power to take the right position and effectively admit they were wrong when they had more power to do something about it?"
According to Sirota:
The obvious news of the op-ed is that we've reached a point in which even American politics' very own Gordon Gekko—a private equity mogul-turned-Republican politician—is now admitting the tax system has been rigged for his fellow oligarchs.
And, hey, that's good. I believe in the politics of addition. I believe in welcoming converts to good causes in the spirit of "better late than never." I believe there should be space for people to change their views for the better. And I appreciate Romney offering at least some pro forma explanation about what allegedly changed his thinking (sidenote: I say "allegedly" because it's not like Romney only just now learned that the tax system was rigged—he was literally a co-founder of Bain Capital!).
"And yet, these kinds of reversals (without explicit apologies, of course) often come off as both long overdue but also vaguely inauthentic, or at least not as courageous and principled as they seem," Sirota continued, stressing that "when Romney had real power, he fortified the rigged tax system that he's only now criticizing from the sidelines."
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