Senate Commerce Should Delay Ross Confirmation Hearing, Schumer Says

The Senate Commerce Committee should delay its confirmation hearing for Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the chamber floor Tuesday. Ross’ hearing initially was scheduled for last week, but Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., postponed the hearing to this Wednesday due to the lack of paperwork from the Office of Government Ethics (see 1701110004). That paperwork was delivered to the Senate only Monday, Schumer complained. “They’re rushing forward,” Schumer said. “The committee needs some time to review those. … I’m hopeful we can move it back.” Ross is “a billionaire in a cabinet loaded with billionaires,” he said. The Office of Government Ethics posted Ross’ paperwork, dated Sunday and running 57 pages. The records show assets and income from Apple and Neustar. The paperwork shows “noticeably no ethics agreement,” tweeted the Center for Responsive Politics, which also compiled the political donations that Ross gave. A Republican spokesman for Senate Commerce told us the paperwork arrived at the committee Sunday evening and the hearing is still scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday. A Nelson spokesman didn't comment on whether Nelson shares Schumer's opposition to proceeding to the hearing as scheduled. Sean Spicer, a spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump, defended the transition’s efforts on ethics paperwork for the nominees generally. “Timing is out of our hands” once paperwork is given over to the OGE, Spicer said during a Tuesday media call.