The Senate confirmed a new head of the agency in charge of enforcing ethics rules across the executive branch.
David Huitema will serve a five-year term as director of the Office of Government Ethics, meaning he will preside over ethics concerns for the duration of the Donald Trump administration.
Senators confirmed him in a 50-46 party-line vote, with independent Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voting in his favor.
Advertisement
No Republicans voted for Huitema. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) had placed a hold on the confirmation in 2023 and blocked a unanimous consent vote in September, citing fears that Huitema would politicize the office and saying that confirmation should wait until the new presidential administration.
