Original post:
This seems really wrong to me -- just pure politics getting in the way of government business. It's like ransom --we won't give you this until you give us what we want.
The Senate Democratic leadership is preparing to lose a vote Wednesday on the confirmation of David Hayes as deputy secretary of the Interior.
Republican objections to Hayes appear to have little to do with him or his qualifications and more to do with an Obama administration policy.
Specifically, Utah Republican Robert Bennett has been leading his party's opposition to Hayes because of an Obama decision to cancel oil and gas leases in Utah.
"This is not about Hayes," Bennett spokeswoman Tara Hendershott told CNN.
She said Bennett is blocking Hayes because the Department of Interior "has not provided any information he requested regarding the (Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's) unilateral decision to cancel the oil and gas leases."CNN
