Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) lifted Monday night most of the holds he had on nearly 70 of President Obama’s nominees:

Last week, Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman, called the holds another example of the corrupt nature behind lawmakers’ earmarks for pet projects.
In a statement, Mr. Shelby’s spokesman, Jonathan Graffeo, disputed that characterization. The holds, he said, were “to get the White House’s attention on two issues that are critical to our national security,” a refueling tanker that would add jobs in Mobile and an F.B.I. antiterrorism center to be built in Alabama.
Mr. Shelby still has holds on three nominees whose jobs would be related to the tanker project. They are Terry A. Yonkers, nominated for assistant secretary of the Air Force; Frank Kendall III, for principal deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics; and Erin C. Conaton, for under secretary of the Air Force.