Senator not opposed to sanctions ‘in general’

Senator Rob Portman, in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, said that he would not hesitate to stand up to the Trump administration if he felt they were overstepping their bounds or weren’t presenting facts properly, but that he didn’t feel the administration’s recent actions banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days and freezing all refugee programs for 120 days were an overstep. Though he did concede that the implementation of the executive order could have been done better.

Portman noted his criticism of suggestions by the administration that sanctions against Russia could be lifted for any reason other than complying with the purpose of sanctions imposed after Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine and placed troops of that country’s eastern border.

“It would be a mistake” to lift sanctions for any reason other than compliance, he said, adding that he felt Congress should codify the sanctions against Russia.
“Russia has not lived up to the Minsk agreement,” Portman said, explaining why he had co-sponsored a push to put the sanctions into law.

However, he stopped short of criticizing the immigration and refugee ban outright.

He told reporters that he did think the executive order needed more vetting before implementation, and that those with greencards should not be detained, but that he’s not opposed to more rigorous standards in general.

“The administration could have avoided confusion,” he said. “We need more effective screening… there are some gaps in our intelligence… But there are ways to do that without disrupting the folks who are coming here legally. Let’s do it in a way that is consistent with our values.”

While Democrats, lead by Senator Sherrod Brown, boycotted confirmation hearings on Tuesday morning, including those for former Goldman Sachs partner Steven Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary, Portman said that he was looking forward to an announcement relating to Trump’s Supreme Court nomination as an opportunity for both sides to come together.

“I don’t know who it is,” Portman said. “The finalists I’ve read about in the news media are exciting.”

“I do believe this is an opportunity,” he said, “to find someone Republicans and Democrats can agree on.”

He said that he thinks the Senate will work through their disagreements leading to the boycott.

“Now they have more time to get answers or pose more questions,” he said.

Brown and Senate Democrats chose to boycott Tuesday’s nominees after raising questions about the truthfulness of their answers before their confirmation hearings, including Mnuchin’s answers related to robo-signing of home foreclosures in Ohio while he was associated with One West Mortgage.

When pressed about the freezing of Syrian refugee relocation, after they have gone through multiple layers of vetting over the course of two years, Portman reiterated that there were “gaps in Syrian intelligence”, noting the attacks in Kentucky by Iraqi nationals.

“We need to tighten it up and figure out how to get more information,” he said.

When asked about the firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates, Portman said that “everyone has a right to their own political appointees,” stating that he had no problem with letting Yates go until Senator Jeff Sessions can be confirmed to fill the role.

Portman also had praise for Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. He said that he has met with boards of education from across the state, and heard their concerns about DeVos. However, he said he does believe DeVos “is committed to education.”

“I’m pleased with the answers I’ve gotten so far,” Portman said.

DeVos owes the state of Ohio $5.3 million in outstanding fines related to her political action committee, All Children Matter, violating donation limits for political campaigns in the state.