At least three Republicans and nine Democrats want to see Pete Hegseth’s FBI background check before his SecDef nomination hearing happens in January. They want to see this because of the bogus allegations that have been lobbed at Hegseth to try and poison his nomination.

From the article, the three Republican senators named are Susan Collins, Thom Tillis and Tommy Tuberville. There may be more.

But the decision hasn’t been made yet as to whether to give senators access to the FBI report. There is a tradition where only the top two Senators on the Armed Services committee members get access to the background check, which in this case are Chairman Jack Reed (D) and Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R). To release it more widely requires Reed to agree and he hasn’t done that yet.

Senator Markwayne Mullin disagrees with the call to release it, saying “If we didn’t do it for the Biden administration, we shouldn’t do it for the Trump administration.”

The call for the FBI report to be made available more widely to senators suggests that Hegseth may still have silent opposition to his nomination, though no Republican senator has come out yet and opposed his nomination. Or perhaps these Senators just want to dot their I’s and cross their T’s before casting a vote for Hegseth’s nomination. It’s hard to say at this point because I’m sure no one wants the backlash from public opposition to Hegseth, so even if they are opposed they might not admit it yet.

Here’s more from Politico:

At least a dozen senators are pushing to see the FBI’s background check on Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s embattled pick for Pentagon chief — a rare move for the committee that oversees his confirmation and a sign the former Fox News host still faces hurdles in the Senate.

Unlike some other committees, the Senate Armed Services usually limits access to these types of background checks to its two lead senators. But pressure is building from both Democrats and Republicans to provide more lawmakers with the ongoing report, whose contents could determine whether Hegseth makes it to the Pentagon.

“It would be helpful, given the allegations that have been lodged against Mr. Hegseth, to be able to see the FBI background check,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a potential swing vote on Hegseth, said in an interview.

Senators have various motives for seeking the report. Some Republicans, such as Collins and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, say the claims are serious enough to warrant greater access to the findings. While it’s unlikely the FBI findings would be made public, they could still give Republican senators political cover to vote against Hegseth or support his defense.

“I’ve encouraged all of the nominees, number one, be out front on the FBI background check, and you want that information shared at least with committee members,” said Tillis, a Trump ally.

The FBI’s background investigation is expected to thoroughly examine Hegseth’s personal and professional history, including interviews with associates, reviews of financial records, and queries into past legal issues.

Trump’s pick argues he has nothing to hide. “Mr. Hegseth not only welcomes but looks forward to the FBI background check,” said Hegseth adviser Arthur Schwartz.

Hegseth’s background check, which was delayed by Trump’s initial reluctance to sign agreements with the FBI, would likely move forward on an expedited timeline. The investigations, which usually take weeks, could get fast-tracked to finish before Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, expected on Jan. 14.

The tradition of limited access gives committee Chair Jack Reed, of Rhode Island, and ranking member Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker significant power over the process. By arrangement with the White House, the two senators typically review FBI reports on nominees and without staff present, and consult with the administration if they want to release them more widely.

Reed acknowledged the growing calls for transparency but didn’t say which way he was leaning. “Everybody wants to look at it,” he said. “That’s a decision that has to be made by myself, Sen. Wicker and the White House.”

Republicans, too, are weighing in. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a Trump ally, said simply, “I’m going to see it.”

But some Senate Armed Services Republicans said they want to defer to the committee’s longstanding tradition and precedent.

“I don’t think we need to make any special exceptions on any of this,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). “If we didn’t do it for the Biden administration, we shouldn’t do it for the Trump administration.”