Frustrated by Republican foot-dragging, Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Monday for a committee vote on Tuesday afternoon on the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel to be the next secretary of defense.
The committee action has been postponed for the past week over evolving demands from Republicans for new documentation on Mr. Hagel’s past statements, personal financial records and even a sexual harassment allegation involving two former staff members, but not Mr. Hagel himself. As action has drawn closer, Republican opponents to a former Senate Republican colleague have threatened filibusters and even a walkout from the committee.
A Republican official said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, had given his word to Mr. Levin that he would not participate in a threatened Republican walkout tomorrow. “In his 26 years as a member of the committee he has never walked out of a vote, and he won’t walk out on this one. It would be disrespectful to Chairman Levin and to the best traditions of the Senate Armed Services Committee,†the aide said.
But Mr. Levin’s decision to call for a public discussion and vote, starting at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday ahead of President Obama‘s State of the Union address, indicated that the chairman still believes that Mr. Hagel has enough support to be confirmed. Committee aides say they have no indication that any Democrats or Senate independents will oppose him, putting him at 55 votes to start. Two Republican senators, Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mike Johanns from Mr. Hagel’s home state, Nebraska, have pledged their support, and at least four Republicans have said they will oppose a filibuster.
That appers to give Mr. Hagel enough support to break through any logjam Republican opponents might throw in his way.
