Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Are conservatives satisfied with crop of GOP candidates?

Details

  • Description

    Utah Senator Mike Lee weighs in

  • Duration 3:51
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Okay cool is the true -- in the race for the White House America's top conservative thinkers will gather in the nation's capital to debate that this week.

The Conservative Political Action Conference is a meeting of the minds and a chance for the base to hear from most of the GOP candidates.

And other headliners including a Republican senator who says President Obama is trampling the constitution -- In fact the president used his weekly radio address to fire back at our next -- Senator Mike Lee of -- senator thanks for joining us today.

Think leadership -- -- have to do with the recess appointments the president has recently made when the senate wasn't formally hear in business.

He says he's justified in doing it where's the -- Well the rub is that the president doesn't get to decide -- the senate is in session and ours is not a government of of one and the minute.

He decides that he has the power to say that we are in recess when in fact we had just had a session one day earlier as dangerous.

And it threatens to take away this -- Advice and consent prerogative to make sure that we have the ability to confirm presidential appointees.

Now permanently what we've been talking -- recent weeks some appointments to the National Labor Relations Board and also the pointing Richard -- -- at the new concern that consumer.

Bureau.

You have no doubt that you able block other appointees are nominees and the president has fired back on that saying basically a senator from you -- promise to obstruct every appointment I tried to make.

And that one senator will gum up the works is that your plan.

Well of course I haven't said that the president has taken it upon himself to be my spokesman and that those are words that never uttered.

What I have said is that I've been very cooperative up to this point -- voted for a lot of the president's nominees with whom my a disagree on a variety of policy issues.

But that Mike -- almost complete cooperation up till this point and now -- -- who will start resisting.

When it comes to reviewing those nominees.

I haven't indicated what form that resistance we'll take but the president has nonetheless taken upon himself to tell me what I meant.

-- in the administration is relying on guidance from the Department of Justice from the opposite legal counsel saying.

That the president can make judgments about the senate when it is an is -- in business and basically the letter -- fact that what was happening on the senate.

In the senate there was nothing at all there was a real business to be done there you say that's not the call for the presidents to make is it this and it's because still it's being led by Democrat Harry Reid who makes the call.

-- senate makes the call we are up coordinate branch of government.

And just because the president thinks that we are doing enough in any given moment can't mean that he can thumb his nose at the constitution.

And install people into -- high political appointed positions without any role for the senate the play and the confirmation process.

And so.

Would we think this is it dangerous precedent and under the analysis outlined in that 43 page single space memorandum that you referred to.

That -- it's just a short -- to get from where the president is now to the point where he could easily say using exactly the same analytical framework.

That every time the senate breaks away for the weekend he can recess appoint someone else.

Right senator you're going to be speaking at C pack this week most of the GOP candidates will be there as well is there somebody in the field yet.

That you feel most lines up with your philosophy.

Your understanding of the constitution in these issues.

Will you endorse someone before the primaries wrapped up.

I don't think so Shannon and you know like most Republicans.

I'm eager to get behind who whoever the Republican nominee is I think we'll know within the next few months.

Who that person will be I'll be anxious to get behind that person once that becomes apparent.

All right senator Mike -- of you top great to see today thanks for your time.

Load More