The two fairly non-controversial nominations were set to be confirmed by voice vote in the Senate Wednesday afternoon, but Menendez objected just beforehand, derailing the effort to fast-track the confirmations and leaving senators and aides no time to reorganize before lawmakers left for the holidays, according to the two people, who were granted anonymity to discuss private conversations.

“Everything was clear and then at the last minute he objected,” said one of the people.

A spokesperson for Menendez confirmed the senator blocked the nominations of Basil Gooden for USDA undersecretary of rural development and Summer Mersinger, who was renominated for a commissioner role the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The spokesperson said the senator did so in protest of the Biden administration’s “lack of responsiveness” to Menendez and other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during the ongoing talks with Republicans to pass a supplemental spending bill for Ukraine aide in exchange for border security funding.

[I doubt this will bother the White House, since these are not exactly high-profile nominations. Menendez probably hopes to get the CHC on his side over his corruption prosecution and calls for his removal from the Senate, most notably from fellow Senate Den John Fetterman. It’s virtue signaling on the cheap for Menendez. — Ed]