Hawley Blocks Senate Confirmation of Two McConnell-Linked Nominees

Sen. Josh Hawley demands further vetting of nominees Andrew Ferguson and Todd Inman, escalating his feud with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has blocked the Senate confirmation of two GOP nominees, Andrew Ferguson and Todd Inman, due to their ties to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Ferguson, nominated to lead the Federal Trade Commission, and Inman, nominated for a senior role with the National Transportation Safety Board, are both former aides of McConnell.
Hawley has expressed 'significant concerns' about McConnell's positions on transportation and safety policy and on antitrust and Big Tech, and seeks to understand how Ferguson's and Inman’s views differ from McConnell’s.
Hawley's move comes as the Senate was scheduled to go on holiday recess, and has been seen as an escalation of his ongoing feud with McConnell.
Hawley has sent a letter to McConnell with a list of questions for Ferguson and Inman, and will withhold his consent for their confirmation until he receives satisfactory responses.