By Leigh Ann Caldwell
...Only Democrats (click here) voted against Kelly and some opposed, including freshman Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada because of concern over immigration. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who has opposed permitting a recently retired general to take a civilian leadership post, was the lone no vote on Mattis. His confirmation could only happen after Congress gave him an exception to serve in the post....
She is principled.
04 January 2017
By Michael Wilner
...Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, (click here) who unsuccessfully lobbied the White House to veto the UN move, endorsed the Senate resolution, which would repudiate the UN in a non-binding manner. Joining him is Senators Michael Bennet of Colorado, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Chris Coons of Delaware, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Bill Nelson of Florida and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan....
I really expect her to emerge as a strong woman candidate for President. She has done her homework and is prepared for the difficult discussions.
October 4, 2015
By Maury Thompson
Carrie Woerner (click here) did not know much about Kirsten Gillibrand in 2005 when Woerner agreed to host a house party for Gillibrand, who was just launching her first bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I was not really involved in Democratic politics at the time,” Woener, now a state Assemblywoman from Round Lake, said in a recent interview. “She was a woman running for office. I’m very supportive of women running for office.”
Woerner said Gillibrand made an immediate impression on the women who gathered to eat cake, sip coffee and talk politics.
“Everybody was in the living room and the front door leads into the living room,” Woerner recalled. “She had barely gotten over the threshold when the questions started. If she had a prepared statement, I don’t think she got through much of it.”
It’s been a decade since Gillibrand, now a U.S. Senator, showed up on the local political scene to mount a successful campaign to unseat four-term incumbent Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, in 2006....
She also opposed Trump for real reasons. Divestiture.
December 16, 2016
By Michael McAuliff
Washington ― If President-elect Donald Trump (click here) wants to preserve Americans’ faith in democracy, he must truly divest his extensive and complicated business holdings, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) told The Huffington Post.
Gillibrand, a former corporate lawyer, is the lead Senate author of the Stock Act, a 2012 law that for the first time codified rules making it illegal for members of Congress to profit from inside information they obtain through their jobs. It explicitly applies to executive branch employees as well, including the president and his Cabinet.
For a person like Trump, who is fond of hashing out his thoughts with confidants and who has innumerable business investments that could be affected by his new job, the law makes juggling financial and public interests akin to a daily walk though a minefield, Gillibrand suggested on Thursday.
“The basic principle is really clear: If you buy or sell stock based on nonpublic information, or if you make business decisions based on nonpublic information, those are going to be in violation of the Stock Act,” Gillibrand said. “And if you tell people that work for you or tell people that you like or tell your best friends, that’s all insider trading.”...
She is also concerned about Mike Pompeo for CIA Director. I think she is correct.
...Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.): (click here) I know that the day before you were nominated to be the director, you said that you looked forward to — quote — “rolling back the Iran deal.”
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.): It was my view that the JCPOA (click here) was a mistake for American national security. And now, if I’m confirmed, I will continue to do that in my role as director of the CIA. I will endeavor to provide straight information to you all about the progress that the JCPOA has made....
Here is the difference.
During the confirmation hearings General Mattis made a more than interesting statement which reflects the 'way the world works' which is different from ideology.
General Mattis said he believed the Iran deal to be imperfect, the USA would be at present a strong and formidable presence to every emerging power.
That is what Iran is now. Iran is the newest emerging power in the global economy. Obama and Kerry are correct in recognizing that and moving the agreement forward. But, Mattis is also very correct. The USA does have a responsibility to allies and world peace (if there still is such a thing) or better said global stability, in that emerging powers have to come to terms with the real world rather than the oppression it sustained to achieve a dialogue.
That is the difference between Mattis and Pompeo. Pompeo is working out of ideology and that will be a problem in securing a region that includes an emerging Iran. Mattis needs a partner not an adversary.
There are other things about Pompeo, but, the Iran statements are among the most troubling.
During the confirmation hearings General Mattis made a more than interesting statement which reflects the 'way the world works' which is different from ideology.
General Mattis said he believed the Iran deal to be imperfect, the USA would be at present a strong and formidable presence to every emerging power.
That is what Iran is now. Iran is the newest emerging power in the global economy. Obama and Kerry are correct in recognizing that and moving the agreement forward. But, Mattis is also very correct. The USA does have a responsibility to allies and world peace (if there still is such a thing) or better said global stability, in that emerging powers have to come to terms with the real world rather than the oppression it sustained to achieve a dialogue.
That is the difference between Mattis and Pompeo. Pompeo is working out of ideology and that will be a problem in securing a region that includes an emerging Iran. Mattis needs a partner not an adversary.
There are other things about Pompeo, but, the Iran statements are among the most troubling.
