McConnell won’t recuse himself from wife’s cabinet confirmation
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell details the Heyburn Initiative for Excellence in the Federal Judiciary, named for the late U.S. Senior District Judge John G. Heyburn II, after its announcement at the University of Kentucky’s Main Building on Monday, October 10, 2016, in Lexington, Ky. The national, nonpartisan initiative aims to “establish an archives and oral history program for Kentucky’s federal judges and a national lecture series on relevant judicial topics,” as well as “play host to federal judicial conferences,” according to a press release. Photo by Joshua Qualls | Staff
December 1, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Elaine Chao as transportation secretary, which brought up questions about Mitch McConnell, Chao’s husband and Senate Majority Leader, mixing family with work.
When asked, McConnell stated that he would not recuse himself from the Senate confirmation process to appoint Mrs. Chao.
“I’ve heard rumors that it should be an outstanding appointment,” McConnell said in a report by the Washington Post. “Someone actually asked if I was going to recuse myself. Let me be quite clear: I will not be recusing myself.”
Chao was the first Asian American female Cabinet member in U.S. history, serving as President George W. Bush’s labor secretary. Chao is also a former chief executive of United Way of America and director of the Peace Corps.
As transportation secretary, Chao is expected to be a significant player in Trump’s proposed massive infrastructure-rebuilding project.
To read the full report by the Washington Post, click here.
