Hawley: Shogan “Blatantly Lied Under Oath” — Will Oppose Nomination Over Twitter Stonewalling

In March 2023 at a confirmation hearing, Senator Josh Hawley delivered strong condemnation of Archivist of United States nominee Dr. Colleen Shogan over her refusal to provide Twitter posts. “Dr. Shogan, I’m going to ask you again. Will you give to this committee your public posts on Twitter? Will you make them available to this committee?” Hawley asked. Shogan responded: “My social media is in my personal capacity.” Hawley delivered strong condemnation: “Mr. Chairman, I have to tell you, this is the most extraordinary thing I have seen in my brief time in the Senate. I have never seen a witness blatantly lie under oath, like Dr. Shogan has just done to this committee, stonewalled this committee, and just repeatedly refused to answer my questions about her own posts that are in public.” He announced vote: “For these reasons, I will oppose your nomination, and I strongly, strongly urge this committee to take action on this and force this witness to own up to the fact that she is misleading us right now before our eyes.”

The Shogan Nomination Context

Context:

Archivist of US — Position.

Biden nominee — Yes.

National Archives — Agency.

Senate confirmation — Required.

Substantive — Role.

Shogan nomination context as Archivist of US position Biden nominee for National Archives agency required Senate confirmation. Substantive role.

”Your Public Posts on Twitter”

Specific:

Public posts — Requested.

Already public — Distinction.

Committee access — Sought.

Substantive — Request.

Reasonable — Standard.

“Your public posts on Twitter. Will you make them available to this committee?” specific with public posts requested already public distinction sought committee access. Substantive reasonable standard request.

”My Social Media Is in My Personal Capacity”

Evasion:

Distinction drawn — Personal vs. public.

Refusal framed — Through distinction.

Accountability avoided — Through framing.

Professional — Nominee defense.

Substantive — Issue.

Shogan’s “my social media is in my personal capacity” evasion with drawn personal vs. public distinction had refusal framed through distinction. Accountability avoided through framing professional nominee defense substantive issue.

”Most Extraordinary Thing”

Hawley strong:

Superlative — Used.

“Brief time” — Context.

Rare framing — Applied.

Strong condemnation — Direct.

Substantive — Assessment.

Hawley’s “the most extraordinary thing I have seen in my brief time in the Senate” strong superlative with “brief time” context was rare framing applied. Strong condemnation direct substantive assessment.

”Blatantly Lie Under Oath”

Accusation:

Perjury implied — Serious.

“Blatantly” — Strong.

Under oath — Specific.

Substantive — Charge.

Severe — Accusation.

“I have never seen a witness blatantly lie under oath, like Dr. Shogan has just done to this committee” accusation with implied serious perjury through “blatantly” strong under oath specific was substantive severe charge.

”Stonewalled This Committee”

Framing:

Obstruction — Alleged.

Congressional oversight — Blocked.

Professional — Misconduct.

Severe — Charge.

Substantive — Critique.

“Stonewalled this committee” framing with alleged obstruction and blocked Congressional oversight was professional misconduct severe charge substantive critique.

”Refused to Answer My Questions About Her Own Posts”

Specific:

Own posts — Stressed.

Public material — Emphasized.

Personal accountability — Required.

Substantive — Issue.

Direct — Accusation.

“Repeatedly refused to answer my questions about her own posts that are in public” specific with stressed own posts and emphasized public material required personal accountability. Substantive direct accusation issue.

”For These Reasons, I Will Oppose”

Vote:

Commitment — Made.

Oppose confirmation — Stated.

Public declaration — Recorded.

Substantive — Action.

Political — Signal.

Hawley’s “for these reasons, I will oppose your nomination” vote commitment made with stated oppose confirmation was public declaration recorded substantive action political signal.

”Strongly, Strongly Urge”

Emphasis:

Double “strongly” — Used.

Committee action — Sought.

Colleagues appeal — Made.

Pattern — Intense.

Substantive — Plea.

Hawley’s “strongly, strongly urge this committee to take action” emphasis with double “strongly” used sought committee action. Colleagues appeal made intense pattern substantive plea.

”Force This Witness to Own Up”

Demand:

Accountability — Sought.

Acknowledgment — Required.

Truth-telling — Demanded.

Substantive — Ask.

Professional — Expectation.

“Force this witness to own up to the fact that she is misleading us” demand with sought accountability and required acknowledgment was demanded truth-telling substantive ask professional expectation.

”Misleading Us Right Now Before Our Eyes”

Directness:

Real-time — Framing.

Evident — Misleading.

Visible — Accusation.

Substantive — Framing.

Professional — Critique.

“Misleading us right now before our eyes” directness with real-time framing and evident misleading visible accusation was substantive professional critique framing.

The Shogan Tweets Controversy

Controversy:

Political posts — Allegedly.

Partisan content — Found.

Archivist role — Neutrality.

Substantive — Concern.

Professional — Issue.

Shogan tweets controversy with allegedly political posts having found partisan content conflicted with Archivist role neutrality. Substantive professional issue.

The Archivist Role Neutrality

Neutrality:

Non-partisan — Expected.

Historic preservation — Focus.

Political pressure — Resist.

Professional — Standards.

Substantive — Function.

Archivist role neutrality with expected non-partisan stance and historic preservation focus required resisting political pressure. Professional standards substantive function.

The Confirmation Hearing Value

Value:

Scrutiny — Function.

Questions substantive — Asked.

Accountability — Sought.

Substantive — Work.

Constitutional — Role.

Confirmation hearing value with scrutiny function had substantively asked questions. Accountability sought substantive work constitutional role.

The Hawley Approach Consistent

Consistent:

Substantive questioning — Standard.

Direct confrontation — Regular.

Character scrutiny — Applied.

Memorable moments — Created.

Pattern — Seen.

Hawley approach consistent with standard substantive questioning and regular direct confrontation had applied character scrutiny. Created memorable moments seen pattern.

The Twitter Posts Relevance

Relevance:

Public statements — Record.

Partisan leanings — Indicator.

Nominee views — Exposed.

Substantive — Information.

Relevant — To fitness.

Twitter posts relevance with public statements on record and partisan leanings indicator exposed nominee views. Substantive information relevant to fitness.

The “Personal Capacity” Distinction Problem

Problem:

Public employee — Shogan.

Public posts — Nature.

Accountability — Required.

Distinction weak — Arguably.

Substantive — Issue.

“Personal capacity” distinction problem with public employee Shogan having public posts nature required accountability. Distinction weak arguably substantive issue.

The Archivist Political Role

Role:

Records management — Agency.

Non-partisan — Expected.

Document handling — Sensitive.

Political pressure — Face.

Substantive — Responsibilities.

Archivist political role with records management agency had non-partisan expected stance. Document handling sensitive facing political pressure substantive responsibilities.

The Trump Documents Context

Context:

Ongoing — Investigation.

Mar-a-Lago — Documents.

Political — Controversial.

Archivist role — Central.

Substantive — Function.

Trump documents context with ongoing investigation at Mar-a-Lago had political controversial. Archivist role central substantive function during investigation.

The Biden Classified Documents Also

Also:

Parallel investigation — Yes.

Archivist role — Similar.

Neutrality required — Even more.

Substantive — Pressure.

Political — Sensitive.

Biden classified documents also with parallel investigation had similar archivist role requiring even more neutrality. Substantive pressure politically sensitive.

The Dual Scandals Context

Context:

Both presidents — Issues.

Archivist — In middle.

Professional — Required.

Political neutrality — Essential.

Substantive — Importance.

Dual scandals context with both presidents having issues had Archivist in middle requiring professional political neutrality essential substantive importance.

The Hawley Political Strategy

Strategy:

Scrutiny rigorous — Applied.

Conservative voice — Strong.

Media visibility — Sought.

Political impact — Real.

Substantive — Engagement.

Hawley political strategy with rigorously applied scrutiny had strong conservative voice and sought media visibility. Real political impact substantive engagement.

The Nominee Disclosure Standards

Standards:

Public records — Required.

Social media — Increasingly.

Background — Examined.

Substantive — Review.

Standard — Process.

Nominee disclosure standards with public records required and increasingly social media had background examined. Substantive review standard process.

The Accusation Serious Weight

Weight:

Perjury — Implied.

Legal consequence — Possible.

Character attack — Strong.

Substantive — Serious.

Professional — Severe.

Accusation serious weight with implied perjury had possible legal consequence. Strong character attack substantive serious professional severe.

The Senate Confirmation Politics

Politics:

Partisan dynamics — Real.

Committee votes — Close sometimes.

Floor votes — Matter.

Substantive — Process.

Political — Battle.

Senate confirmation politics with real partisan dynamics and sometimes close committee votes had mattering floor votes. Substantive process political battle.

The Shogan Eventual Confirmation

Confirmation:

May 2023 — Confirmed.

Narrow margin — Possibly.

Democratic majority — Prevailed.

Political — Outcome.

Substantive — Result.

Shogan eventual confirmation in May 2023 was confirmed through possibly narrow margin with Democratic majority prevailed. Political outcome substantive result.

The Twitter Controversy Continuing

Continuing:

Posts scrutinized — Yes.

Partisan content — Found.

Political dimension — Real.

Substantive — Concerns.

Ongoing — Scrutiny.

Twitter controversy continuing with scrutinized posts finding partisan content had real political dimension. Substantive concerns ongoing scrutiny.

The Public Servants Social Media Standard

Standard:

Accountability — Expected.

Public posts — Examined.

Political neutrality — For some roles.

Professional — Conduct.

Substantive — Issue.

Public servants social media standard with expected accountability and examined public posts required political neutrality for some roles. Professional conduct substantive issue.

The Hawley Tone Genuine

Genuine:

Outrage evident — Real.

Professional — Still.

Substantive — Concern.

Authentic — Emotion.

Standard — For him.

Hawley tone genuine with real evident outrage had professional still substantive concern. Authentic emotion standard for him.

The Committee Action Request

Request:

Force answers — Sought.

Contempt possible — Framework.

Bipartisan — Appeal.

Standard — Process.

Substantive — Mechanism.

Committee action request with sought force answers through possible contempt framework was bipartisan appeal standard process substantive mechanism.

The Press Coverage Extensive

Extensive:

Viral clip — Created.

Conservative media — Amplified.

Political impact — Real.

Substantive — Reporting.

Standard — Controversy.

Press coverage extensive with viral created clip and conservative media amplified had real political impact. Substantive reporting standard controversy.

The Democratic Defense Response

Response:

Nominee supported — Publicly.

Professional — Defense.

Confirmation prioritized — Yes.

Political — Fight.

Substantive — Battle.

Democratic defense response with publicly supported nominee had professional defense. Confirmation prioritized yes political fight substantive battle.

The Twitter Account Content

Content:

Political opinions — Posted.

Partisan leaning — Apparent.

Nominee record — Created.

Scrutiny — Invited.

Substantive — Material.

Twitter account content with posted political opinions and apparent partisan leaning had nominee record created. Scrutiny invited substantive material.

The Archivist Challenges Upcoming

Challenges:

Presidential records — Management.

Classified documents — Policies.

Political pressure — Continuing.

Substantive — Work.

Professional — Standards.

Archivist challenges upcoming with presidential records management and classified documents policies had continuing political pressure. Substantive work professional standards.

The Confirmation Process Quality

Quality:

Substantive scrutiny — Value.

Senate role — Constitutional.

Professional — Standards.

Oversight — Function.

Important — Function.

Confirmation process quality with substantive scrutiny value had Senate role constitutional. Professional standards oversight important function.

The Partisan Interpretation Differences

Differences:

Republican concerns — Legitimate.

Democratic defense — Also.

Substantive — Basis both sides.

Political — Dimension.

Standard — Confirmations.

Partisan interpretation differences with legitimate Republican concerns and also Democratic defense had substantive basis both sides. Political dimension standard confirmations.

The Hawley Memorable Moments Regular

Regular:

Multiple hearings — Memorable.

Media coverage — Consistent.

Political brand — Built.

Substantive — Engagement.

Pattern — Characteristic.

Hawley memorable moments regular across multiple hearings had consistent media coverage. Political brand built through substantive engagement characteristic pattern.

The 2024 Campaign Political Implications

Implications:

Biden nominations — Attack material.

Conservative base — Mobilized.

Substantive — Political.

Campaign — Dimension.

Standard — Politics.

2024 campaign political implications with Biden nominations attack material mobilized conservative base. Substantive political campaign dimension standard politics.

The Senate Judiciary/Oversight Process

Process:

Committee structure — Specialized.

Expertise — Developed.

Substantive — Hearings.

Procedural — Standards.

Professional — Work.

Senate Judiciary/Oversight process with specialized committee structure and developed expertise had substantive hearings. Procedural standards professional work.

The Public Document Scrutiny Reality

Reality:

Social media — Reality.

Digital footprint — Permanent.

Accountability — Extended.

Substantive — Information.

Modern — Confirmation.

Public document scrutiny reality with social media reality created permanent digital footprint. Accountability extended substantive information modern confirmation process.

The Nominee Preparation Implications

Implications:

Social media — Scrubbed sometimes.

Public statements — Examined.

Careful conduct — Required.

Substantive — Preparation.

Professional — Standards.

Nominee preparation implications with sometimes scrubbed social media had examined public statements requiring careful conduct. Substantive preparation professional standards.

The Political Theater Element

Element:

Performance — Yes.

Substantive — Also.

Media value — Real.

Political impact — Created.

Standard — Moment.

Political theater element with performance yes had substantive also. Real media value with created political impact standard moment.

The Hawley Reputation Solidifying

Solidifying:

Confrontational style — Established.

Conservative voice — Strong.

Political brand — Growing.

Substantive — Work.

Future — Possibilities.

Hawley reputation solidifying with established confrontational style and strong conservative voice had growing political brand. Substantive work future possibilities.

The Public Discourse Element

Element:

Transparency values — Important.

Accountability — Essential.

Standards — Maintained.

Substantive — Debate.

Democratic — Function.

Public discourse element with important transparency values and essential accountability required maintained standards. Substantive debate democratic function.

The Long-term Confirmation Reform

Reform:

Process improvements — Needed.

Transparency standards — Evolving.

Social media — Policy developing.

Substantive — Change.

Ongoing — Work.

Long-term confirmation reform with needed process improvements and evolving transparency standards had developing social media policy. Substantive change ongoing work.

The National Archives Political Centrality

Centrality:

Document disputes — Current.

Both presidents — Issues.

Political pressure — Real.

Substantive — Importance.

Unprecedented — Dynamics.

National Archives political centrality with current document disputes involving both presidents had real political pressure. Substantive importance unprecedented dynamics.

The Archivist Professional Challenges

Challenges:

Political balance — Required.

Legal mandate — Clear.

Pressure management — Daily.

Substantive — Work.

Professional — Expertise.

Archivist professional challenges with required political balance and clear legal mandate had daily pressure management. Substantive work professional expertise.

The Hawley Senate Persistence

Persistence:

Multiple hearings — Attended.

Substantive questioning — Regular.

Preparation thorough — Yes.

Professional — Standard.

Effective — Style.

Hawley’s Senate persistence across multiple attended hearings with regular substantive questioning had thorough preparation yes. Professional standard effective style.

The Missouri Constituency Appeal

Appeal:

Conservative base — Served.

Religious right — Reached.

Media attention — Delivered.

Political brand — Effective.

Substantive — Representation.

Missouri constituency appeal with served conservative base and reached religious right delivered media attention. Effective political brand substantive representation.

The Confirmation Ultimate Outcome

Outcome:

Shogan confirmed — Yes.

Hawley opposed — Vocally.

Democratic majority — Prevailed.

Political — Win.

Substantive — Result.

Confirmation ultimate outcome with Shogan confirmed yes and Hawley opposed vocally had Democratic majority prevailed. Political win substantive result.

The Political Memorable Moments Value

Value:

Viral clips — Created.

Political branding — Enhanced.

Coverage sustained — Yes.

Substantive — Content.

Effective — Political work.

Political memorable moments value through created viral clips and enhanced political branding had sustained coverage. Substantive content effective political work.

The Long-term Political Impact

Impact:

Hawley profile — Raised.

Conservative voice — Amplified.

Future role — Possible.

Substantive — Pattern.

Political — Positioning.

Long-term political impact with raised Hawley profile and amplified conservative voice had possible future role. Substantive pattern political positioning.

The Senate Confirmation Political Dynamic

Dynamic:

Partisan — Process.

Substantive engagement — Sometimes.

Political theater — Often.

Democratic — Function.

Complex — Reality.

Senate confirmation political dynamic with partisan process had sometimes substantive engagement and often political theater. Democratic function complex reality.

The Press Coverage Pattern Standard

Standard:

Memorable moments — Clipped.

Political framing — Competing.

Media ecosystem — Amplified.

Substantive — Content.

Democratic — Communication.

Press coverage pattern standard with clipped memorable moments and competing political framing had amplified media ecosystem. Substantive content democratic communication.

The Nominee Disclosure Evolution

Evolution:

Social media era — New.

Standards evolving — Yes.

Political pressure — Real.

Substantive — Change.

Ongoing — Development.

Nominee disclosure evolution with new social media era had evolving standards. Real political pressure substantive change ongoing development.

The Hawley Future Political Role

Role:

Rising senator — Profile.

Future possibilities — Open.

Conservative voice — Established.

Substantive — Work.

Political — Trajectory.

Hawley future political role as rising senator profile with open future possibilities had established conservative voice. Substantive work political trajectory.

The Long-term Confirmation Reform Discussion

Discussion:

Process improvements — Discussed.

Transparency — Enhancement.

Bipartisan — Interest.

Substantive — Debate.

Ongoing — Development.

Long-term confirmation reform discussion with discussed process improvements and transparency enhancement had bipartisan interest. Substantive debate ongoing development.

Key Takeaways

• Senator Hawley asked Dr. Colleen Shogan to provide public Twitter posts.
• Shogan evaded: “My social media is in my personal capacity.”
• Hawley delivered strong condemnation: “The most extraordinary thing I have seen in my brief time in the Senate.”
• Severe accusation: “I have never seen a witness blatantly lie under oath, like Dr. Shogan has just done to this committee, stonewalled this committee.”
• Vote declaration: “I will oppose your nomination.”
• Plea to committee: “I strongly, strongly urge this committee to take action on this and force this witness to own up to the fact that she is misleading us right now before our eyes.”

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

• Dr. Shogan, I’m going to ask you again. Will you give to this committee your public posts on Twitter? Will you make them available to this committee?
• My social media is in my personal capacity.
• Mr. Chairman, I have to tell you, this is the most extraordinary thing I have seen in my brief time in the Senate.
• I have never seen a witness blatantly lie under oath, like Dr. Shogan has just done to this committee, stonewalled this committee, and just repeatedly refused to answer my questions about her own posts that are in public.
• For these reasons, I will oppose your nomination.
• I strongly, strongly urge this committee to take action on this and force this witness to own up to the fact that she is misleading us right now before our eyes.

Full transcript: 138 words transcribed via Whisper AI.