(LibertySociety.com) – On March 2, the Senate confirmed another one of President Joe Biden’s cabinet nominees. Lawmakers voted 84-15 to approve Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo as the next commerce secretary.
Shortly after the Senate confirmed her, Raimondo resigned from her position as governor. The former venture capitalist served in the role since 2015 and was the first woman ever to run the state of Rhode Island.
Thank you, Rhode Island, for the trust you have placed in me these past ten years. It has been a privilege to serve as your treasurer and governor, and I know the future is bright. pic.twitter.com/Ll9YXTCgRk
— Gina Raimondo (@GovRaimondo) March 2, 2021
As commerce secretary, Raimondo will oversee more than 40,000 employees and a dozen agencies, including the Census Bureau.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) was one of 15 lawmakers who opposed Raimondo’s nomination. Before the vote, he said he didn’t like how she evaded lawmakers’ questions during her confirmation hearings. He was also disturbed by her refusal to promise she’d keep Chinese tech company Huawei on the US blacklist.
The senator explained that the former governor and the Biden administration are embracing the “worst elements of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Copyright 2021, LibertySociety.com
