Two
more members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Patrick
Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat of
North Dakota, are publicly opposing the confirmation of Sam Clovis,
Trump’s nominee to be USDA chief scientist.
Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow of Michigan announced her
opposition
in September.
Clovis, long under criticism for his lack of scientific credentials, is now embroiled in the Mueller investigation for his role as a top Donald Trump presidential campaign official. Clovis directed his subordinate on the Trump campaign, George Papadopoulos, to “make the trip” to Moscow to collude with Russian agents.
“If his anti-science record were not enough cause for concern,” Leahy’s statement reads, “the latest reporting suggesting that Mr. Clovis may have facilitated Russian collusion in our elections raises these concerns to an alarming level. Even for this administration, that should be disqualifying.”
“Sam Clovis is uniquely unqualified to serve as USDA’s top scientist, and his confirmation would be harmful to North Dakota’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities,” Heitkamp said in a statement to Politco. “North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers need and deserve someone in this role who will work in their best interest – and that is not Sam Clovis. I’ll oppose his nomination.”
With Leahy and Heitkamp’s announcements, there are ten senators, including three on the Agriculture Committee, to publicly oppose the nominee, who rejected the science of climate change, promoted the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was not born in the United States, and argued that homosexuality is a choice.
A growing coalition of environmental, science, and sustainable farming organizations oppose Clovis.
Senators in public opposition to Sam Clovis:
Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)*
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)*
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)*
Members of the agriculture committee are marked with an asterisk.