McCollum latest DFLer against Norway ambassador pick
WASHINGTON -- Congresswoman Betty McCollum is the latest Minnesota Democrat to publicly oppose President Obama's nomination of George Tsunis, a major campaign donor, to be Ambassador to Norway after Tsunis flubbed his confirmation hearing in January.
Tsunis, a wealthy New York businessman who bundled more than $800,000 in donations for Obama in 2012, was not in command of basic facts about Norway during the hearing, such as the country's status as a constitutional monarchy or the parties in government. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar have also announced their opposition to the nomination.
It's extremely rare for members of the president's party to oppose his ambassadorial nominations.
While members of the U.S. House don't get to vote on ambassadorial nominees, McCollum has a voice in the issue thanks to her role as co-chair of the Norway Caucus in Congress.
"We expect the next U.S. ambassador to possess both expertise and appreciation for Norway and its people. Unfortunately, the current nominee falls far short of this standard," said McCollum in a statement. "I urge President Obama to withdraw his nomination immediately and instead find a new nominee who will make Norwegian-Americans proud.”
An active lobbying campaign by Minnesota's Scandinavian community against Tsunis' nomination is underway. Although the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination, no vote by the full Senate has yet been scheduled.
5 p.m. Update: Minnesota GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen this afternoon announced his opposition to Tsunis, saying the nominee's answers "clearly demonstrate that he is unqualified for this position and may damage an important international bond if confirmed."
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