Marco Rubio to Support Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State
Florida Republican, who had expressed concerns during confirmation hearings, clears Senate path for nominee
By BYRON TAU
Jan. 23, 2017 11:23 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON—Sen. Marco Rubio said he would support President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, ending weeks of speculation about his intentions and clearing a path in the Senate for Rex Tillerson to be confirmed as the nation’s top diplomat.
“Given the uncertainty that exists both at home and abroad about the direction of our foreign policy, it would be against our national interests to have this confirmation unnecessarily delayed or embroiled in controversy. Therefore, despite my reservations, I will support Mr. Tillerson’s nomination in committee and in the full Senate,” Mr. Rubio, a Florida Republican, said in a statement posted on Facebook on Monday.
Congressional resistance to Mr. Tillerson essentially evaporated over the weekend, as other Senate Republicans who had expressed concerns about his ties to the Russian government said they would support him—all but ensuring he will win enough votes in the Senate. Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona both said they would support Mr. Tillerson on Sunday.
Mr. Tillerson, former chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp., had deep business ties to senior figures in the Russia government—prompting tough questions from both Democrats and Republicans during his confirmation hearing. His former company’s lobbying on sanctions issues also came under scrutiny.
During the hearing, Mr. Rubio also expressed concern about whether Mr. Tillerson and the new Trump administration would take an aggressive enough line against Russia. Mr. Trump has indicated that he believes the U.S. should pursue improved relations with Moscow.
No vote was more important to Mr. Tillerson’s successful confirmation than that of Mr. Rubio, who occupies a key seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that will vote Monday on the nomination. Republicans have a one-vote advantage on the panel, meaning that Mr. Rubio’s support was seen as crucial to moving Mr. Tillerson’s nomination to the floor with a recommendation that he be confirmed for the job. The full U.S. Senate still could have confirmed Mr. Tillerson without approval of a majority of the panel, but such a procedure is extremely rare.
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the panel, said in a statement Monday that he would oppose Mr. Tillerson—a signal that few Democrats were likely to support him.
“After long and careful consideration, I believe Mr. Tillerson’s demonstrated business orientation and his responses to questions during the confirmation hearing could compromise his ability as Secretary of State to forcefully promote the values and ideals that have defined our country and our leading role in the world for more than 200 years,” Mr. Cardin said. |
