Josh Hawley Blocks Mitch McConnell's Nominees as GOP Battle Grows

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is creating obstacles for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's (KY) efforts to confirm two nominees for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), intensifying a rift between the first-term conservative senator and the veteran party leader.

In a letter to McConnell on Wednesday, Hawley expressed the need for additional time to vet the McConnell-backed nominees, Andrew Ferguson and Todd Inman, former McConnell aides nominated for the FTC and NTSB, respectively.

Josh Hawley blocks Mitch McConnell-backed nominees, escalating feud https://t.co/H23geOgVnm pic.twitter.com/derkIkB4dl

— The Hill (@thehill) December 20, 2023

The nominees were set to be approved by unanimous consent along with other Biden nominees, but Hawley voiced concerns about the potential imbalance in the negotiations.

Hawley specifically requested further information from the nominees on their perspectives regarding the regulation of the tech and rail industries.

The senator emphasized the significance of exploring Andrew Ferguson's stance on Big Tech issues and urged Todd Inman to elaborate on various transportation policies, including rail safety and autonomous vehicles.

Declaring his intention to block the nominees' advancement on the Senate floor until his concerns were addressed, Hawley underscored his right, as any senator, to withhold consent for confirmation without a floor vote.

Both nominees, Ferguson and Inman, had been nominated by President Biden in July. Ferguson, the nominee for the FTC, serves as the solicitor general of Virginia and previously worked as McConnell's chief counsel.

Inman, the NTSB nominee, had previously served as chief of staff to former Trump Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and worked as a campaign aide to McConnell.

The disagreement between the two Republican senators is the latest development in an ongoing feud, dating back to November of the previous year when Hawley called for a change in Senate Republican leadership and supported Senator Rick Scott's (R-Fla.) challenge against McConnell.

The recent clash over an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill has further heightened tensions, revealing deep-seated differences between the two senators on legislative priorities.

The conflict could also have major consequences for Republicans in the coming election year as the party is increasingly known for its disunity.