So there has been some shady business with Trumps cabinet pick hearings. Panel rules currently dictate that both Democrats and Republicans (bipartisan) confirm the cabinet picks through a number of hearings where any improprieties are reviewed.
Trump's picks for health and treasury, Price and Mnuchin, had previous perjured themselves in previous cases and they refused to present themselves to the committee to explain themselves. Democrats refused to vote until they showed up to do so.
Price and Mnuchin did not, so Senate Republicans on the committee changed the panel rules so they could confirm the picks with any Democrats present at all.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7557391.html
http://www.npr.org/2017/02/01/512840...nominees?sc=tw
This is the letter the Dems on the Finance Committee sent to Orrin Hatch, asking for more answers from Price and Mnuchin about their false testimony. Orrin Hatch ignored it and changed the rules to rubberstamp Price and Mnuchin through.
https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/m...ominations.pdf