Democrats on Capitol Hill say it’s time for Jamieson Greer to select the job he loves most.
Greer is President Donald Trump’s U.S. commerce consultant, answerable for steering the nation via what’s shaping as much as be a tariff-fueled world commerce struggle. However Greer can also be serving because the performing head of two different businesses, the Workplace of Particular Counsel and the Workplace of Authorities Ethics.
These are essential jobs, at the least below a traditional administration. The OSC is tasked with defending authorities whistleblowers, and the OGE is answerable for imposing ethics guidelines within the government department. It will be loads for Greer to juggle on high of his commerce gig, particularly as Trump’s tariffs soften down monetary markets, immediate retaliation from different international locations and lift the probability of a recession.
4 Home Democrats, led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), despatched a letter to Greer on Wednesday telling him it was time to drop his aspect hustles and give attention to being the nation’s high commerce official — a “singular” position at a time when “the stakes could not be higher.” They mentioned carrying three totally different hats throughout the administration not solely creates conflicts of curiosity however makes it unattainable to do anyone job effectively.
“Taking on at least two other jobs is misguided and a disservice to the public.”
– Democrats of their letter to Jamieson Greer
“Since President Trump has launched a global trade war, it is critical that you remain focused on fulfilling the duties for which you were confirmed by the United States Senate,” Pressley wrote, joined by Reps. Don Beyer (Va.), Linda Sánchez (Calif.) and Gerry Connolly (Va.). “Taking on at least two other jobs is misguided and a disservice to the public who expect a competent and effective USTR, OSC, and OGE.”
The Senate confirmed Greer, a commerce legal professional who served within the first Trump administration, because the U.S. commerce consultant on Feb. 26. In the meantime, the Workplace of Authorities Ethics at the moment lists Greer as performing director on its web site.
A spokesperson for the Workplace of Particular Counsel confirmed Greer is main the company, however didn’t tackle how a lot time he’s been placing in on the workplace. They referred inquiries to the Workplace of the U.S. Commerce Consultant.
Greer undoubtedly wasn’t working on the particular counsel’s workplace or the federal government ethics workplace on Tuesday morning ― he was busy testifying on the commerce struggle earlier than a Senate panel.
AP Picture/Mark Schiefelbein
It’s unlikely this administration needs a functioning particular counsel workplace, because it’s certainly one of a handful that protects the labor rights of federal staff — partly by searching for the reinstatement of those that have been fired or disciplined illegally. Trump created the opening at OSC when he eliminated the earlier particular counsel, Hampton Dellinger, in early February.
Dellinger sued on the grounds his firing was unlawful, and received a decide’s order permitting him to maintain his place. However he later dropped his case after an appeals courtroom allowed his firing to proceed.
Pressley and her colleagues questioned how the OSC might fulfill its mission if its performing director was additionally operating commerce coverage at such a vital time.
“With the current onslaught of attacks, layoffs, and firings of government employees, OSC’s work has greatly increased in significance and quantity,” they wrote.
An aggressive Workplace of Authorities Ethics wouldn’t be excessive on this administration’s precedence listing, both. The OGE is answerable for stopping conflicts of curiosity below a president who lately marketed Tesla automobiles for his billionaire backer Elon Musk on the White Home grounds.
In early February, Trump fired the unbiased workplace’s director who’d been appointed by former President Joe Biden to a five-year time period.
“Since coming into the presidency, the Trump Administration has been the subject of dozens of ethics complaints that require serious attention,” the Democrats famous of their letter.
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They put a lot of inquiries to Greer, together with what number of hours he’s working on the totally different workplaces, whether or not he’s acquired some other jobs they don’t find out about, and if he’s recused himself from any whistleblower or ethics instances involving the Workplace of the U.S. Commerce Consultant. They urged him to resign his non-trade positions instantly.
“Anything less fails to meet the ethical and professional standards required to preserve the independence and effectiveness of both offices,” they wrote.
