Sen. Tammy Duckworth last week announced a “blanket hold” on all Department of Housing and Urban Development nominees in objection to Ben Carson’s handling of public housing facilities in her home state of Illinois.
Duckworth and her fellow Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin — both Democrats — earlier this month wrote a letter to Carson about HUD’s decision to close a pair of public complexes in the town of Thebes, Ill. Specifically, the senators wanted more information about the relocation timeframe for the affected residents, as well as the potential continued viability of the closed facilities.
When the housing secretary hadn’t responded by last week, Duckworth released a statement affirming her plan to block President Trump’s outstanding HUD picks, which includes the still-in-limbo nomination of Brian Montgomery to lead the Federal Housing Administration.
The Senate Banking Committee signed off on Montgomery’s nomination late last November, but the former FHA chief is still waiting on full approval for his second stint overseeing the agency.
“As long as hundreds of Illinoisians’ lives are stuck in turmoil because of rash decisions that HUD fails to effectively or fully explain, I will object to every nominee Donald Trump sends our way,” Duckworth said in a statement.
Under the current administration, HUD has suffered with a lack of officials at key leadership positions, along with multiple controversies surrounding Carson’s leadership.
