President Donald Trump on Monday tapped Todd Blanche, a high Justice Division official and former private lawyer for the president, to run the Library of Congress, a Justice Division spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost.
Blanche is anticipated to proceed his position as deputy lawyer basic whereas additionally serving because the appearing librarian of Congress, overseeing one of many largest libraries on this planet. That may make him considered one of a number of Trump officers to carry a number of demanding jobs at fully completely different businesses.
Trump ousted the earlier librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, final week. Hayden, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, was the primary lady and Black individual to carry the famend library’s high put up.
It’s not clear what kind of skilled librarian expertise Blanche might need. His LinkedIn web page says he studied communications, economics and political science at American College and later acquired his juris physician from Brooklyn Legislation Faculty. It makes no point out of a level in library science.
Blanche labored as Trump’s lead protection lawyer in his prison trial in New York Metropolis final 12 months.
Politico reported Monday that Blanche’s appointment as appearing librarian is seemingly in dispute. Robert Randolph Newlen, a library official who took over after Hayden’s firing final week, wrote an e mail to library employees saying, “Congress is engaged with the White House and we have not received direction from Congress about how to move forward.”
The Library of Congress didn’t instantly reply to a request from HuffPost on Monday in search of readability on the library’s management.
As HuffPost reported final week, Trump’s favourite loyalists have a approach of discovering themselves in a number of jobs on the identical time. Secretary of State Marco Rubio can be serving as Trump’s appearing nationwide safety adviser, in addition to the appearing head of the U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement and the Nationwide Archives and Information Administration.
In the meantime, Jamieson Greer helps coordinate Trump’s commerce warfare because the U.S. commerce consultant whereas additionally ostensibly working the Workplace of Particular Counsel and the Workplace of Authorities Ethics.
Consultants in government department staffing informed HuffPost they’re involved with all of the “dual hatting” occurring within the administration, noting that anyone of those jobs requires full-time consideration, to not point out particular coaching and expertise.
Blanche serving as each deputy lawyer basic and the librarian of Congress on the identical time would doubtless be “another first,” stated Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a scholar on the American presidency and visiting fellow on the Brookings Establishment.
“I have never heard of this before,” Tenpas stated in an e mail Monday. “The DAG job is immense and so consequential.”
