The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Arizona Treasurer Jeff DeWit as the new CFO at NASA. The nomination of Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine as NASA Administrator remains stalled.
According to NewsOK.com, Bridenstine continues “to draw the opposition of all Senate Democrats, independents and one Republican.” That Republican, Sen. Marco Rubio, “doesn’t like Jim Bridenstine,” reported NewsOK.com.
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“Because Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is not in the Senate while undergoing cancer treatment, that leaves only 49 votes for Bridenstine. He needs at least 50 to force a tiebreaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence, who would presumably vote for Bridenstine.”
Bridenstine served as a U.S. Navy pilot on active duty for nine years, followed by four years in the Navy Reserve where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was elected to Congress in 2012 and serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
DeWit, who has not yet completed his one and only term as Arizona Treasurer, spent much of his time in office serving as the CFO for the Trump campaign. He is expected to leave office within the next few weeks, leaving it open to an appointment by Governor Doug Ducey.
According to NewsOK, Bridenstine “opposed Rubio’s presidential run in 2016, cutting television ads for Sen. Ted Cruz in which he criticized Rubio. Inhofe said those ads are why Rubio opposes Bridenstine’s nomination.”
Thank you Mr. Governor! https://t.co/9cmTKJQKMe
— Jeff DeWit (@JeffDeWitAZ) March 15, 2018
Gizmodo.com reports that “NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot told NASA employees that he will retire on April 30, according to a memo acquired by space policy analyst Marcia Smith.”
“Lightfoot has served as the Acting Administrator since the Trump presidency began on January 20, 2017, succeeding Obama-era appointee Charles Bolden,” reports Gizmodo. “Lightfoot is was only supposed to serve until the Senate either confirmed Trump appointee Jim Bridenstine, or Trump came up with another administrator.”