CNN
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Sen. Tommy Tuberville has positioned a maintain on the promotion of Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark, a high aide to Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin, a spokesperson for the Alabama Republican confirmed to CNN.
“Sen. Tuberville has issues about Lt. Gen. Clark’s actions throughout Secretary Austin’s hospitalization,” Tuberville spokesperson Mallory Jaspers advised CNN. “Lt. Gen. Clark knew that Sec. Austin was incapacitated and didn’t inform the Commander in Chief. As a senior commissioned officer, Lt. Gen. Clark’s oath requires him to inform POTUS when the chain of command is compromised.”
The transfer, nevertheless, may be very totally different from when Tuberville final yr issued a blanket hold on army promotions throughout the board until the Pentagon modified its abortion coverage. A supply conversant in the matter advised CNN that this nomination now on the ground may nonetheless be resolved with procedural motions and is only one as an alternative of a whole bunch from final yr.
The discharge of a report from the Pentagon’s inspector general may additionally impression the longer term and pace of the affirmation. The evaluate was launched earlier this yr to evaluate whether or not the Pentagon has the suitable insurance policies in place to make sure an efficient switch of energy and duties following Austin’s hospitalizations that weren’t instantly disclosed to the White Home or different senior nationwide safety officers.
Jaspers mentioned the senator is “ready to see the forthcoming IG report.”
The Washington Publish first reported on the maintain.
James Adams, a Pentagon spokesman, advised CNN that Clark is “extremely certified” for the job and “was nominated for this crucial place due to his expertise and strategic experience,” together with his earlier roles as commander of US Military Central, the Military’s twenty fifth Infantry Division, and chief of employees for US Military Pacific.
“We urge the Senate to substantiate all of our certified nominees,” Adams mentioned. “These holds undermine our army readiness.”
Austin was hospitalized on January 1 for issues from a prostate most cancers process in December. The Pentagon didn’t notify the media till January 5 and regardless of the seriousness of his hospitalization, it was later revealed that Austin had not notified Congress or the White Home about his analysis, preliminary process or subsequent issues and hospitalization.
The failure to inform administration officers kicked off a firestorm on Capitol Hill and Austin was grilled by members of Congress throughout a February listening to targeted on his dayslong delay notifying each lawmakers and President Joe Biden about his whereabouts — with Republicans notably keen to show up the warmth on Austin.
A protection official on Tuesday cited a separate, completed Pentagon review that discovered no deliberate try to cover Austin’s hospitalization. “The chain of command was not compromised. At no time had been there any gaps in authorities and there have been no dangers to the Division’s command and management,” the official advised CNN.
“The implication from the Senator, calling into query the oath of a soldier who has honorably served his nation as a senior chief for greater than three a long time, is totally inappropriate,” they added.
Austin introduced in an announcement in July that Biden had nominated Clark, who’s presently serving because the senior army assistant to Austin, for appointment as commanding common of US Military Pacific.
Now that the nomination is on the ground, Majority Chief Chuck Schumer may maintain an up-or-down vote and burn time to substantiate the nominee as Tuberville can’t maintain it up endlessly on his personal.
Tuberville faced bipartisan pressure final yr for a number of months to stop his blanket maintain on army promotions that began final March and delayed the confirmations of greater than 450 high army nominees. High army leaders, together with Air Pressure Secretary Frank Kendall, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Military Secretary Christine Wormuth told CNN at the time that the holds had been aiding US adversaries.
Tuberville had maintained that he needed the Pentagon to scrap its post-Roe v. Wade coverage offering reimbursements for service personnel who journey out of state for reproductive providers, together with abortions.
He eventually released the bulk of his holds late final yr, permitting a whole bunch of army nominations to be confirmed.
This story has been up to date with extra reporting.
CNN’s Oren Liebermann and Haley Britzky contributed to this report.