1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

Dear Senators, this week I called your respective offices asking you to consider the unqualified—but more importantly, dangerous—nominees for cabinet positions, Hegseth, Gabbard and Kennedy. I won’t repeat those pleas here. I have to hope you both are committed to our nation’s security and public health. I know both of you are enormous supporters of the president-elect. I would ask, though, that before you defer to Mr Trump’s demand for recess appointments so he can make these dangerous appointments, consider the Senate’s constitutional role of advise and consent. Please also recognize that ceding your privilege and responsibility is only the beginning of giving up the Senate’s role in our constitutional system of checks and balances. Finally, I beg you to consider your own constituents’ safety and health in your decisions.