Sen. Lisa Murkowski Voted for 19 of Biden’s Cabinet Nominees in 2021, Despite Current Attacks
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, faced criticism from President Donald Trump’s supporters for her opposition to his nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth. A Fox News Digital analysis shows that Murkowski voted in favor of 19 out of 21 of former President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees in 2021.
Murkowski was one of two Republican senators to vote against former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. She also did not vote on former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh’s appointment. In contrast, she voted in favor of Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Recently, Murkowski expressed concerns over Hegseth’s lack of relevant experience on Pentagon policy and allegations that he mismanaged two veterans organizations. She also accused him of lack of judgment, citing allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking, and infidelity.
However, some Republican lawmakers agree with Murkowski, pointing out that Hegseth’s behavior is unwarranted. Sen. Murkowski stands by her decision and believes that all presidents have the right to their Cabinet, but it’s the Senate’s responsibility to ensure they are good, qualified, and credible candidates.
Sen. Murkowski is being targeted by opponents, including Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who criticized her vote for Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense. Van Orden implied that Austin is responsible for the deaths of 13 heroes in Afghanistan.
However, Murkowski is not the only one opposed to Hegseth. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted in favor of all of Biden’s Cabinet nominees in 2021, and is also opposed to Hegseth. Despite the criticism, Murkowski believes that the military fired people for behaving like Hegseth and that it could cause issues with discipline if he becomes the next Defense Secretary.