Democrat Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii faced mockery on social media on Thursday over her opening questions to Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum during his confirmation hearing.
“As part of my responsibilities to ensure the fitness of nominees before any of the committees on which I sit, I ask the following two initial questions,” Hirono said to Burgum on Thursday. “First is, since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?”
“No, senator, I have not,” Burgum responded.
“Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct?” Hirono then asked.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (Getty Images)
“I have not,” Burgum said.
Hirono, who has asked similar opening questions to several other nominees in the past, including Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, was widely panned by conservatives on social media over the line of questioning.
“This lady has issues.” conservative commentator Chad Prather posted on X.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono participates in a news conference following weekly policy luncheons in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2024. (Nathan Posner/Getty Images)
“No, this is not AI…,” conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on X.
“What is wrong with Dems??” American Majority president Ned Ryun posted on X. “They are apparently bat guano crazy sex pervs. Is this all they think about??”
“How the F does Hirono have seats on Judiciary AND Armed Services AND Energy?????” columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher posted on X. “What member of Dem leadership does she have kompromat on??”
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Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is sworn in during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on his nomination to be Interior secretary on Capitol Hill, Jan. 16, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Getty Images)
Conservative comedian Tim Young posted on X that the “more Mazie Hirono asks cabinet nominees if they’ve sexually assaulted someone… the more I think she’s guilty of it herself.”
Henry Rogers, The Daily Caller’s chief national correspondent, called Hirono “deranged” on X.
Hirono’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
