GOP suspends Senate rule, muscles Trump picks through panel

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the latest intensification of partisan hostilities, Republicans rammed President Donald Trump's picks to be Treasury and health secretaries through a Senate committee today with no Democrats present after unilaterally suspending panel rules that would have otherwise prevented the vote.

By a pair of 14-0 roll calls, the Senate Finance Committee approved Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to be Health and Human Services secretary and banker Steve Mnuchin to be Treasury secretary. Both nominations must be confirmed by the full Senate.

The GOP's show of brute political muscle came shortly before a testy session of the Senate Judiciary Committee at which lawmakers approved Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to be attorney general. Later today, the full Senate planned to vote on confirming Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO, as secretary of state.

Republicans and Democrats have battled virtually nonstop since Trump entered the White House 12 days ago over his refugee ban, his firing of the acting attorney general and GOP plans to erase former President Barack Obama's health care law.

With Republicans controlling both the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade, the GOP display of strength seemed to signal that the party will do all it can to block Democratic attempts to frustrate them.

Democrats had boycotted today's abruptly called Finance Committee meeting, as they'd done for a session a day earlier, demanding more time to question the two men about their past financial practices.