Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) held up the confirmation of a White House budget official this week in a bid to get sensitive information about border wall contracts that he’s been trying to push towards a major donor of his, according to The Washington Post. Cramer has recently tried to steer North Dakota-based Fisher Industries to do border wall work—but the company was not picked by the Army Corps for a contract. Those connected with the company have given Cramer thousands in campaign donations, the Post reports. After Michael Wooten was finally confirmed for a senior post at the White House Office of Management and Budget this week, Cramer attempted to get information about the contracts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but was told the contract information could not be shared due to its sensitive nature.
In response, Cramer is said to have told the Army Corps: “This is a woefully inadequate response and not what I was promised by the White House as a condition for releasing my hold on the confirmation of the nominee for the Federal Procurement Officer.” White House officials were reportedly copied on the email. In a statement, Cramer later said he had been “deputized” by President Trump to “work with the Army Corps to ensure” a fair process while the border wall was being constructed. He also said he held up Wooten’s confirmation in order to get Wooten to “to agree to reforming” the Army Corps’ flawed procurement process.
Read it at Washington Post
