Trump Resistance Builds With Nationwide 'Stop the #SwampCabinet' Actions

Building on a growing resistance movement, more than 100 actions are planned nationwide for Tuesday to demand U.S. senators vote against President Donald Trump's controversial cabinet picks.

The rallies and protests at local offices of Democratic and Republican senators will urge lawmakers to "Stop the #SwampCabinet"--from public school enemy and Education nominee Betsy DeVos to anti-worker Labor nominee Andrew Puzder to Scott Pruitt, Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pick who has made a career of suing the EPA.

" Donald Trump riled up crowds claiming he'd 'drain the swamp' and chase corruption out of Washington, but so far his politics have only furthered a culture of corruption, and nowhere is that clearer than in the greed and hate embodied by the nominees to his Swamp Cabinet," said Vicki Kaplan, organizing director for MoveOn.org, which is coordinating the demonstrations along with People's Action and the Working Families Party.

"Millions of Americans are taking action--meeting, marching, and organizing--to ensure Trump and the GOP don't take away our healthcare, destroy public education, pollute our air and water, and put in charge billionaires and racists who look out for only themselves at the expense of the rest of us," Kaplan said.

So far, the Senate has confirmed two Trump cabinet nominees: retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to run the Department of Defense and retired Gen. John Kelly to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Votes are expected on Monday on former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson's nomination as Secretary of State and Rep. Mike Pompeo's (R-Kansas) bid to lead the CIA.

Other nominees have faced a tougher road to confirmation.

McClatchy reported Monday afternoon that the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), will request a delay on the confirmation vote on Sen. Jeff Sessions for U.S. attorney general. The vote was supposed to take place Tuesday and will now take place January 31.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions vote on DeVos for secretary of the Department of Education was similarly postponed until January 31 to give members time to review the billionaire's letter to the Office of Government Ethics outlining steps she agreed to take to avoid conflicts of interests. On Monday, 10 Democrats on the committee and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) formally asked chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to have a second confirmation hearing for DeVos; Alexander denied that request.

Tuesday will likely see Senate Commerce Committee votes on Transportation Secretary nominee Elaine Chao and Wilbur Ross to head the Commerce Department.

Also taking place Tuesday are confirmation hearings for Rep. Tom Price, the Obamacare opponent who Trump wants to head the Department of Health and Human Services; Rep. Mick Mulvaney (S.C.), Trump's pick for Office of Management and Budget director; and wrestling magnate Linda McMahon, nominated to head the Small Business Administration.

Price already sat for one hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, but the Senate Finance Committee, which will grill him on Tuesday, is the one to vote on his confirmation.

Ahead of his Finance Committee hearing, Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.) demanded more documents about his stock trading--which has already been the focus of intense scrutiny, along with his intent to cut the healthcare safety net.

"Most Americans didn't vote for Trump, but nearly all of us will suffer under his administration," said Seong-Ah Cho, who is participating in the People's Lobby #SwampCabinet event in Chicago on Tuesday. "It's on us to use this crisis, and all our fear and anger, to come together in a powerful movement that will not only resist Trump's agenda, but also fight for our progressive future."