Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) will at last get his confirmation hearing to be President Trump’s next director of national intelligence — a moment delayed for weeks by a coronavirus pandemic that shut down much of the country.

Ratcliffe is expected to be grilled by members of both parties on the Senate Intelligence Committee over whether he will be an independent voice for intelligence.

Critics say Trump is seeking to install a loyalist with Ratcliffe.

“While I am willing to give Mr. Ratcliffe the benefit of the doubt in the hearing, I don’t see what has changed since last summer, when the President decided not to proceed with this nomination over concerns regarding his inexperience, partisanship, and past statements that seemed to embellish his record – including some particularly damaging remarks about whistleblowers, which has long been a bipartisan cause on our committee,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va), the top Democrat on the Intelligence panel, said in a statement.

Warner was referencing Ratcliffe’s circuitous route to the nomination.

Trump first nominated Ratcliffe last year after Dan Coats resigned as intelligence chief, but his nomination derailed over concerns that he padded his resume and would be too partisan in the role.

In February, Trump announced his intention to again nominate Ratcliffe, and in the ensuing months he appeared to bolster his support among GOP senators, starting with Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who was initially cool to Ratcliffe’s nomination. Burr has since voiced his support for Ratcliffe and vowed to swiftly move forward to get him confirmed.