‘Recess’ Appointees Circumvent Background Checks?

Two of President Obama’s “recess” appointments will begin their tenure at the National Labor Relations Board without having undergone background checks required of all nominees to the board, which are used to determine any past impropriety or conflicts of interest.

The Senate committee handling the nominations of Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to the NLRB never received the required paperwork from the two nominees. The president submitted the nominations to the Senate on December 15, a day before it entered pro forma session, with most Senators returning to their home states.

The paperwork includes information required for a background check, “which addresses whether taxes are paid and if the nominee is facing any pending civil or criminal investigations,” according to a committee release. “This also ensures that there are no conflicts-of-interest before being confirmed for the position.”