Cotton vows to block Biden nominees over classified documents flap

Tom Cotton says he will slow down confirmation of all of President Joe Bidens nominees until Congress is allowed to review the classified documents found at the residences of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

The Arkansas Republican senator emerged Wednesday from a classified briefing with Biden officials, including Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and accused the administration of stonewalling Congress. In response, Cotton said senators will impose pain on the administration until they provide these documents. And that is coming from both parties.

Im prepared to refuse consent or to fast-track any nominee for any department or agency. And take every step I can on every committee on which I serve to impose consequences on the administration until they provide these documents for the Congress to make our own informed judgment about the risk to national security, Cotton said.

Cottons stance threatens to shut down an already slow-moving Senate. The chamber has taken just one roll-call vote since being sworn in on Jan. 3: confirming an assistant defense secretary on Monday. The chamber will take its second floor vote on Thursday to dub January National Stalking Awareness Month.