An exchange between Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and former Rep. Doug Collins, Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, left many asking if Hirono is the worst Senator in the nation after seeing her in action.
Hirono’s Partisan Tactics
To answer whether Sen. Hirono is indeed one of the worst in the Senate, Gene Berardelli scrutinized Hirono’s approach to the Senate confirmation process. It appears from this latest exchange with Collins that Hirono focuses Primarily on political posturing rather than evaluating Collins’ qualifications. Given her curious method of questioning Collins, Hirono approaches committee hearings like this with the goal to score political points on issues that appeal to her progressive base.
For instance, Hirono centered her line of questioning around whether Collins, supports the VA providing abortion service under an “interim final rule” created under the Biden administration. To his credit, Collins repeatedly emphasized that his stance is rooted in following the law, refusing to engage in partisan bickering.
Does The VA Provide Abortions?
Hirono took the position that a controversial “Interim Final Rule” passed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) enables the VA to provide veterans who are “pregnant people” with abortion counseling and procedures. The flaw in Hirono’s position is that interim final rule passed by the Biden administration is prohibited under Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (commonly referred to as the “1992 law”) that specifically excludes abortion services form among the reproductive care which the VA is allowed to provide.
“My Ideological Position is Based in the Law”
Collins stood his ground when Hirono challenged his position, reiterating that his position would always align with the applicable law no matter his personal ideological stance. Collins rejected Hirono’s insinuations that he would support policies that undermine veterans’ rights or overlook the law. Instead, Collins made it clear to Hirono that his role, if confirmed, would be to follow the established law and ensure that the VA operates within its legal boundaries.
Hirono Distorts Collins’ Testimony
Hirono seemed unwilling to engage in a meaningful good faith discourse with Collins on this issue. Throughout her examination, Hirono frequently mischaracterized Collins’ testimony in her conclusory summaries offered after each exchange. Hirono would also often fail to meet Collins’ gaze, seemingly relying on a script or notes on the desk in front of her. And, Hirono often spoke over Collins even as he was answering her questions.
These mannerisms would reasonably lead an observer to believe Hirono heavily relies upon her planned questioning and has trouble making off-the-cuff responses to Collins’ responses. Indeed, Hirono seemed to completely disregard Collins’ responses in favor of her own narrative.
Fans of our website and channel have seen this act before. For example, when Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) was interrogating Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Kaine would employ similar tactics. Also, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-VA) also favors this tactic of conjuring conclusions that unfairly and inaccurately characterized the testimony of Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi.
Yet, Collins remained undeterred, persisting to ensure that his position cut through any distortion from Hirono.
Hirono Taken Aback by Collins’ Push-Back
In contrast to Hirono, Collins showcased his understanding of both the policy and operational aspects of the VA, emphasizing his experience in Congress and the military. He argued that leadership in the VA requires a clear understanding of the law and a commitment to providing veterans with the best care possible.
Collins also surprisingly testified that Hirono had refused to meet with him prior to the Senate confirmation hearing so that both could engage in a further detailed dialogue. Hirono demurred, stating that she only cared to speak with him on the record.
So to Summarize…
As you can see from tactic after tactic, and failing after failing, discussed above, one can reasonable ask: is Sen. Hirono the worst of the worst in the Senate? We’ll leave that for you to think about.
But certainly, this exchange between Hirono and Collins, and indeed many of the exchanges we have highlighted this month, exemplifies a growing trend in hyper-partisanship, where the focus has shifted from qualifications to political point-scoring. For voters and viewers who care about governance over partisanship, this hearing serves as a prime example of how NOT to question a nominee at a Senate hearing.
