Hatch opposes nominee because of ‘criminal conduct’

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) accused one of President Obama’s nominees of overseeing potential “criminal conduct.”

Hatch stopped short of saying Carolyn Colvin was guilty but said the potential of wrongdoing under her watch was enough reason to prevent her confirmation as commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

{mosads}”There is enough evidence of criminal conduct there. I’m not accusing her of it, but she was the authority there,” Hatch said Saturday. “We should not be voting on this at this time.” 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture on her nomination Saturday, setting up a procedural vote to advance and then confirm her nomination sometime next week. Reid is setting up more than a dozen votes on various nominations.

Hatch, who serves as ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said he originally supported Colvin’s nomination at the confirmation hearing, but since then reports have come out that money was mismanaged at the Social Security Administration under Colvin’s watch.

Colvin has been serving as acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, but she has yet to be confirmed for the position. The Senate Finance Committee cleared her nomination this summer on a 22-2 vote. Since then Hatch has said he’s troubled by a report that the administration wasted $300 million over six years on a computer system that was designed to expedite processing of disability claims but still doesn’t work.

Reid is trying to confirm several of Obama’s executive and judicial nominees before the Senate adjourns for the year.

— This article was updated at 3:54 p.m.