Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Politics

Biden nominee for Israel ambassador Jack Lew advances in Senate committee, headed to floor vote

by October 26, 2023
October 26, 2023
Biden nominee for Israel ambassador Jack Lew advances in Senate committee, headed to floor vote

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced President Biden’s nominee pick for ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, on Wednesday, despite mounting Republican opposition. 

In a 12-9 vote, committee members voted to advance Lew during a closed business meeting. His nomination now heads to a full floor vote. Sen. Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer D-N.Y., indicated last week Democrats would move to quickly confirm him as war rages on in Israel.

Every Republican on the committee, except Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opposed Lew’s passage. Every Democrat voted in favor.

‘I think it’s important in the middle of a war to have an ambassador. I think it’s important to have a representative from the United States,’ Paul told Fox News. ‘I met with him privately. I think he’s a thoughtful individual and I think he will do a good job.’

Republicans began voicing opposition to Lew in the days leading up to his hearing last week over his past work on Iran sanctions.

In 2018, a Senate report by the investigative subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee found that Lew, during his tenure as secretary to the Treasury under the Obama administration, ‘granted a specific license that authorized a conversion of Iranian assets worth billions of U.S. dollars using the U.S. financial system.’  

In response, Lew said during the hearing: ‘I want to be clear, Iran is a threat to regional stability and to Israel’s existence. If confirmed, I will uphold President Biden’s commitment to deny Iran a nuclear weapon.’ 

The report found that the administration tried to convert $5.7 billion from U.S. banks to Iranian assets. It noted that the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control ‘encouraged two U.S. correspondent banks to convert the funds.’

In January 2016, then-President Barack Obama announced a $400 million cash transfer to Iran that was part of a larger installment of a $1.7 billion settlement, for which Lew faced scrutiny. The settlement was part of a long-standing disagreement over an arms deal that was signed before the 1979 Iranian revolution, signifying the end of the nation’s historical monarchy.

Lew — who also served during the Clinton administration as special assistant to the president’s office — faced scrutiny for the transfer. The Wall Street Journal reported at the time that the payment was conducted using a combination of Swiss and other foreign currencies, then transported to Iran on unidentified cargo planes.

Senators during the hearing cited these reports in their questioning last week.

‘During Obama’s administration, Mr. Lew was working directly under the table to get Iran back into the financial system,’ ranking member Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said during the closed business meeting Wednesday. ‘As a result I will vote today to support Israel and vote no on Mr. Lew. It should be someone the Israelis will have trust in, and this committee will have trust in. I don’t have trust in him at this time.’

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Fox News Digital last week Lew is an Iran ‘sympathizer.’

‘I know my Democratic colleagues contend that we should confirm Jack Lew properly to show our support for Israel, but I would turn that around. We should defeat Jack Lew’s nomination to show that our nation has a new policy towards Iran.’ Cotton said.

Lew’s vote on the Senate floor could happen as early as next week. 

Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie and Kelly Phares contributed to this report. 

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Two Defensive Sectors are Outperforming – What Does This Mean?
next post
Female-led IDF combat squad eliminates nearly 100 Hamas terrorists in firefights along border, report says

You may also like

McCarthy’s GOP foes dig in before House speaker...

January 3, 2023

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME: Actress Suffer Face Paralysis Weeks After...

September 30, 2022

(VIDEO) TGP’s Jordan Conradson Joins Kari Lake To...

December 8, 2022

SHOCKING: Philly FED Admits Biden’s Bureau of Labor...

December 16, 2022

Biden admin’s drive for green energy leads to...

December 17, 2023

Doctor Surprised as Patient Refuses to Receive Blood...

October 5, 2022

Tensions erupt on House floor as conservatives confront...

April 19, 2024

Globalist Pope Francis: Cut Back on Christmas Spending,...

December 16, 2022

Elon Musk’s pro-Trump super PAC launches website to...

September 23, 2024

DeSantis invites VP Harris to Florida to set...

August 1, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Trump ally stands firm against ‘big, beautiful bill’ despite pressure: ‘It’ll completely backfire’

      June 8, 2025
    • Rubio condemns assassination attempt on Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe

      June 8, 2025
    • Obama WH physician says Biden doc should have performed cognitive test

      June 8, 2025
    • Trump warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Elon Musk funds Democrats

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk jokes about reconsidering stance on Big Beautiful Bill after Schiff’s praise

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk deletes explosive posts about Trump and Epstein files

      June 7, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,152)
    • Investing (2,019)
    • Politics (15,571)
    • Stocks (3,136)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved