Ex-GOP pol Sean Duffy confirmed as Trump’s transportation secretary

The US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed ex-Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as President Trump’s transportation secretary Tuesday, including one other former Fox Information character to the cupboard.

Duffy, 53, cleared the higher chamber in a 77-22 vote after his nomination acquired the approval of all 28 members of the Senate Commerce Committee.

“Sean is the proper individual for this job,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), a member of the panel, mentioned of Trump’s nom, pointing to the ex-congressman’s success in whipping up bipartisan assist for federal funding of the St. Croix Crossing, a bridge between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

“Admired throughout the aisle, Sean labored with Democrats to clear intensive Legislative hurdles to construct the biggest street and bridge challenge in Minnesota Historical past,” Trump mentioned in a press release saying his decide Nov. 18.

“He’ll prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Magnificence when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports. He’ll guarantee our ports and dams serve our Financial system with out compromising our Nationwide Safety, and he’ll make our skies protected once more by eliminating DEI for pilots and air visitors controllers,” Trump added. 

It’s unclear whether or not Duffy can even be a part of the commander-in-chief in transferring to “kill” New York’s controversial congestion pricing initiative. He was by no means requested concerning the problem throughout his affirmation listening to.

Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has beforehand urged to The Publish that congestion pricing might be resolved if the Division of Transportation’s Federal Freeway Administration knocked Empire State officers for failing to file an environmental influence assertion — and revoked the tax.

Duffy shall be accountable for the Transportation Division’s greater than 55,000 workers and oversee the nation’s rail, transit and different infrastructure, with a funds of roughly $110 billion out there to him.

The brand new transportation secretary has pledged to focus specifically on rail security after the 2023 Norfolk Southern practice derailment that spewed poisonous chemical compounds into East Palestine, Ohio, including that he was wanting ahead to discussing options with Trump, 78, and Vice President JD Vance, who represented the Buckeye State within the Senate.

Duffy can even get to utilize funds from former President Joe Biden’s 2021 bipartisan infrastructure legislation — together with for building of electrical automobile charging apparatuses which were derided by lawmakers on either side of aisle for falling wanting projected targets.

The previous Republican rep was a agency defender of the primary Trump administration’s immigration and commerce insurance policies — and a fierce critic of his predecessor, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, through the 2022 airline journey snafu that canceled greater than 15,000 flights.

Duffy, who represented Wisconsin’s seventh Congressional District from 2011 to 2019, additionally beforehand served as a prosecutor and co-host of the night Fox Enterprise Community program “The Backside Line.” Rachel Campos-Duffy, his spouse, co-hosts “Fox & Associates Weekend.”

“The husband of an exquisite lady, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a STAR on Fox Information, and the daddy of 9 unbelievable kids, Sean is aware of how necessary it’s for households to have the ability to journey safely, and with peace of thoughts,” Trump additionally mentioned upon saying Duffy’s nomination.

Duffy left Congress earlier than the tip of his fifth time period when his new child daughter suffered a coronary heart defect in 2019, and she or he and her siblings later stole the present in pics snapped throughout their dad’s affirmation listening to.

Fellow Fox Information character Pete Hegseth, one other nom with a big household, was confirmed as protection secretary by a 51-50 vote within the Senate Friday.

Trump tangled together with his previous transportation secretary Elaine Chao, the spouse of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), after she resigned within the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

In a weird, racially charged rant two years in the past, the as soon as and future president accused Chao and McConnell of being secret allies of then-President Joe Biden — and, by extension, of China.

“Does Coco Chow have something to do with Joe Biden’s Categorized Paperwork being despatched and saved in Chinatown?” he wrote on Fact Social in December 2022. “Her husband, the Previous Damaged Crow, is VERY near Biden, the Democrats, and, in fact, China.”

Chao, who immigrated from Taiwan to America together with her household when she was 8 years outdated, grew to become a naturalized citizen at 19.