Politics

Kelly Confirmed For Homeland Security

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts.

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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WASHINGTON- The Senate confirmed General John Kelly for Secretary of Homeland Security on Friday. Kelly received bipartisan support with 88 votes. Eleven Democrats voted against Kelly, including Massachusetts Sen. Liz Warren and Maryland Sen. Chris Van Holland.

The vote came following the confirmation of General James Mattis for Secretary of Defense. One senator, New York Democrat Kirsten Gilibrand, voted against Mattis.

Republicans attempted to clear Trump nominee for CIA director, Kansas Republican Rep. Mike Pompeo, to be confirmed Friday night, but were unable to do so without Democrats insisting on further parliamentary procedures intended to delay Pompeo’s confirmation. Republicans were not able to match the number of nominees for President Trump on his first day in office as the number of nominees that were confirmed for Barack Obama in 2009 on the day that Obama was confirmed.

Kelly is a four-star general who had led the U.S. Southern Command and retired from the Marines in 2016.

Senate Majority Leader McConnell announced prior to the Kelly vote that Pompeo’s confirmation vote would go forward Monday.

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