Four members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus are calling on Donald Trump to “reject” Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton, when considering who to choose as Secretary of State.
The lawmakers on Monday urged Trump to reconsider the qualifications of the pair, describing them as “discredited voices on foreign policy that have caused irreparable harm to this country and many others.”
Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) sent the letter to the President-elect, noting that the rumored deliberation called into question Trump’s campaign declarations about the Iraq War.
“Many years after the Iraq War’s launch, these potential candidates remain unrepentant with regard to the greatest foreign-policy failure in modern US history,” the four lawmakers said. “This fact alone calls into serious doubt their ability to pursue prudent alternatives to escalations of conflict.”
The letter noted how, in 2007, Giuliani declared the invasion “absolutely the right thing to do” and characterized it as “one of the greatest military actions in American history.”
The legislators also pointed out Bolton’s involvement with the Project for the New American Century–a neoconservative initiative launched in 1998, with the view of encouraging the US government to topple Saddam Hussein. Ten out of the 25 people who backed the push ended up filling senior roles in George W. Bush’s administration.
“Your campaign vowed to avoid needless confrontations and disregard the ‘so-called insiders’ who ‘got us into trouble,'” the four lawmakers said. “We ask that you honor this campaign promise by withdrawing consideration of consistent and unapologetic advocates of war as your nominees to guide the foreign policy of the United States of America,” they added.
Grijalva and Ellison are co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Pocan is the group’s vice chair and Lee is its whip.
An early supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential bid alongside Grijalva, Ellison is currently vying for more influence within the Democratic Party. After the election, he announced that he would run for chair of the Democratic National Committee.
As The Washington Post reported on Monday, the Trump transition team is currently split between Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Trump reportedly favors the former Massachusetts Governor and GOP Presidential nominee, while influential hardliners in his inner circle are reportedly furious at the development.
Romney lobbed vicious attacks at Trump during the primary campaign, as Republican voters declined to reject Trump’s boorishness, his opinions on race and religion, and his tendency to make authoritarian policy suggestions and fact-free claims.
Giuliani, however, might find it hard to survive confirmation hearings, and Trump is aware of those prospects. Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has already said that he wouldn’t support the former New York City mayor’s nomination.
The dispute among members of Trump’s team led the President-elect to widen his search. Trump met Monday with Former CIA Director David Petraeus.
The retired general has problems of his own, however. He resigned as Agency chief in disgrace, in 2012, after it was revealed he was having an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
Petraeus eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of mishandling classified information, despite having lied to federal investigators–an act that can get someone up to five years behind bars. Petraeus never served time in prison.
The Post reported in March that the slap-on-the-wrist led the the Justice Department to rule out a tough stance toward Hillary Clinton, for using private email server while Secretary of State.
