A national security adviser to Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has resigned over a Washington Post report that suggested he played a key role in the senator’s blockade of hundreds of senior military promotions, Politico reports.
Morgan Murphy said the article “overstated” his role in the right-wing senator’s decision to block the nominations to protest the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy.
Such confirmations of military nominations are typically routine.
Murphy, in an interview with Politico, said the article “was factual in many respects, but simply overstated my role in decision making.”
“He is the boss and calls the shots and always has,” Murphy told Politico about Tuberville.
“I am, was, at the end of the day, a staffer. I didn’t take kindly to a perception otherwise.”
Politico reports that Tuberville was not pleased with the article’s characterization of Murphy’s role in the blockade, and Murphy told Politico that the notion that he was the catalyst behind Tuberville’s blockade was inaccurate.
“It is my responsibility as a staffer to present the senator with his range of options, which went from sending a letter to offering a meeting to introducing an amendment or to placing holds,” Murphy said.
Tuberville’s controversial blockade has drawn rebuke from both sides of the aisle. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier this month told reporters he doesn’t support it.
“No, I don’t support putting a hold on military nominations,” McConnell said. “I don’t support that. But as to why, you’ll have to ask Sen. Tuberville.”