Senate Democrats blast Republican slow-walking of key Treasury nominee

Mitch McConnell's Senate is making headlines all over the place for stopping President Obama's judicial nominees from getting confirmed. But it's not just judges that are getting the GOP brush-off.

Adam Szubin was nominated to be the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes nearly three months ago but has yet to receive a hearing from the Senate Banking Committee responsible for vetting him.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) chastised Republicans for the delay, arguing that "it is threatening our nation's ability to combat terrorism" and groups such as the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS).

"One way to stop ISIS is to go after their funding. Republicans know that," Reid said from the Senate floor. "Yet Republicans won't confirm this good man. He can't get a vote, and who knows why. Ask Republicans."

The Hill tried to ask Republicans, but Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) who is in charge of the Banking Committee "did not respond to repeated inquiries." Szubin isn't a controversial nominee, and in fact has been doing the job on a temporary basis since the former head, David Cohen, moved over to the CIA to be deputy director. Republicans can argue that not making the confirmation official isn't a big deal because he is doing the job anyway. But doing it as an ad hoc appointee rather than the confirmed director does actually make a difference for direction of the department. It says something as well about the resolve of a government in actually doing something like effectively fighting a terrorist organization if the legislative branch makes an effort.