Budowsky: Tillerson confirmation hearings will be huge!

When Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson appears before the Senate Foreign Relations committee for his confirmation hearings, those hearings will become a defining event for the Donald Trump presidency and the role of the Senate.

Throughout the Tillerson confirmation hearings Democratic and Republican senators will ask the nominee important questions about vital national security and policy issues, to understand his views and compare them to Trump’s before determining whether or not he should be confirmed as secretary of state.

{mosads}It is too early to predict whether Tillerson will be confirmed, which will be largely determined by his answers to key questions asked during confirmation hearings that will be hugely important  to determining the role of America in the world during the Trump presidency.
Tillerson will be asked whether he will divest all financial interests in Exxon, the oil industry and any other business that could benefit from his actions as secretary of State if he is confirmed.

At a time when voters worry about the danger of conflicts of interests growing with the arrival of the Trump administration, the divestment of assets that create potential conflicts of interests should a mandatory requirement for Tillerson to be confirmed.

Other questions on major issues that senators of both parties should and almost certainly will ask Tillerson before voting whether to confirm him as secretary include the following.

Does Tillerson agree with Trump’s praise of Russian president Vladimir Putin?  Does he agree with Trump’s denial that Russia launched covert attacks against American democracy, or does he agree with the CIA, the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence that Russia attacked our elections and did so for the purpose of electing Trump?

Does Tillerson agree with, or disagree with, Trump’s attack against the CIA because the CIA revealed the truth about Russian attacks against our election?

If Russia were to invade democratic nations in Europe will Tillerson state clearly and unequivocally that the United States should honor our NATO obligations and defend democratic Europe, a clear statement Trump has refused to make.

Does Tillerson agree with Trump’s apparent support for Russian annexation of Crimea? Does he agree with widespread reports citing intelligence sources that Russia is acting to destabilize democracy in Europe in the same ways Russia acts to undermine democracy in America?

Does Tillerson believe that American and European sanctions against Russia should be continued, and does he believe that if they are lifted it would be seen as weakness in the face of Russian aggression that would encourage more Russian aggression?

Since Tillerson has long supported global free trade and has voiced support for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, does he still supports TPP or has he changed his position as nominee?

Has Tillerson abandoned his history of supporting free trade? Does he now support the huge tariffs Trump threatens to impose and the early stage 5 percent tariff that the Trump transition is telling major media he is considering?  How will GOP free trade senators react if Tillerson reinvents himself to oppose TPP and support large scale tariffs?

Does Tillerson agree with what Trump once said, that global warming is a conspiracy invented by the Chinese? Does he support the Paris Accords that would combat climate change? Will he oppose other Cabinet members who deny climate change is real and seek anti-environmental policies during a Trump presidency?

Does Tillerson support the one-China policy that presidents have followed for decades, and does he believe it is wise for a president to post angry tweets attacking adversaries or allies taking actions or positions he disapproves of?

Does Tillerson support torture?  Would he agree to travel to Mexico and tell Mexican leaders they must pay for the so-called wall on our border? What kind of a ban on Muslim immigrants would he support or oppose?

Whether or not Rex Tillerson will be confirmed to be secretary of State will depend, and should depend, on his answers to these important questions on vital and controversial issues.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), then-chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. in international financial law from the London School of Economics. He can be read on The Hill’s Contributors blog and reached at brentbbi@webtv.net.