Mitch McConnell: Democrats need to 'grow up' and confirm Trump nominees despite ethics questions

Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) left no doubt on Sunday morning that he intends to force the Senate to begin hearings on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees despite the fact that many of them have not been cleared of possible conflicts of interest.

On Friday, Walter M. Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics complained that his  department was being put under "undue pressure” to “rush through these important reviews.”

Appearing on Face the Nation, McConnell insisted that Trump won and that unanswered questions about the nominee's backgrounds and financial interests were mere "procedural complaints"

Asked about calls from Democrats, including Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, to slow down the hearing process so the candidates can be fully vetted, McConnell dismissed it as no big deal.

“The Democrats are really frustrated that they lost the election,” McConnell told CBS host John Dickerson,” before adding that Republicans found themselves in similar territory eight years ago when President Obama was elected.

“What did we do? We confirmed seven Cabinet appointments the day President Obama was sworn in. We didn’t like most of them, either. But he won the election,” McConnell explained. “So all of these little procedural complaints are related to their frustration at having not only lost the White House, but having lost the Senate. I understand that. But we need to, sort of, grow up here and get past that.”

Among the nominees facing hearings is McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, who was nominated to serve as Trump’s transportation secretary.

Watch the video below via CBS: