Bessent makes history at Treasury as highest-ranking LGBTQ official

Source: The Hill

The Senate on Monday confirmed billionaire hedge fund manager and investor Scott Bessent as President Trump’s Treasury secretary, making him the highest-ranking LGBTQ official in the nation’s history.

The Senate voted 68-29 Monday evening to confirm Bessent, 62, to lead the Department of the Treasury. He is the first openly LGBTQ person to hold the position, fifth in line to the presidency.

Bessent’s confirmation comes after former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made history as the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet official to win Senate confirmation in 2021. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, Richard Grenell became the first gay Cabinet member when he was appointed acting director of national intelligence.

Bessent’s husband, former New York City prosecutor John Freeman, attended his confirmation hearing this month with their two children. “The ultimate civics lesson,” Bessent quipped in his opening remarks.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5109726-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent/

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Democrats who voted in support of Bessent were the following:

Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware
Maria Cantwell of Washington
Cory Booker of New Jersey
Chris Coons of Delaware
John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
Ruben Gallego of Arizona
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire
John Hickenlooper of Colorado
Tim Kaine of Virginia
Mark Kelly of Arizona
Gary Peters of Michigan
Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire
Mark Warner of Virginia
Elissa Slotkin of Michigan
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also voted for Bessent