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Hawley Will Withhold Support for FTC Nominee Until Policy Matters Resolved

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Wednesday he is withholding support for FTC nominee Andrew Ferguson until the nominee's policy views are better known (see 2312190082). In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Hawley said the Republican Conference…

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risks “giving away too much” in a proposed year-end confirmations package with Democrats. The package includes dozens of Democratic nominees and “just a few Republican appointees,” he said. Moreover, Republicans need additional time to carefully evaluate FTC commissioner hopeful Ferguson and National Transportation Safety Board nominee Todd Inman, he said, citing open questions about Ferguson’s views on Big Tech. Ferguson and Inman are former McConnell aides. “I am currently withholding my consent for these nominees to be confirmed without a floor vote -- as is any senator’s right to do -- until I and others can evaluate satisfactory responses to these important policy questions,” Hawley wrote. The senator said he wants to meet the nominees to discuss their views on questions he appended to his letter. Offices for McConnell and Ferguson didn’t comment Wednesday.