Doug Palmer reports rumors that the Senate Finance Committee could hold hearings on Ron Kirk's USTR nomination next Wednesday: Hearing seen next week on U.S. trade nominee. Palmer also reports that Tim Reif, Trade Staff Director on the House Ways and Means Committee is in line for the position of General Counsel at USTR: U.S. trade bulldogs' aide in line for key USTR post:
A top aide to Democratic lawmakers who have long called for tougher enforcement of U.S. trade agreements is expected to join President Barack Obama's trade office as the chief enforcement attorney, a congressional aide said on Tuesday.
Palmer has other gossip as well. For Deputy USTR:
Obama also is widely expected to nominate Demetrios Marantis, a top aide to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus ["Chief International Trade Counsel (Democratic) for the Senate Finance Committee - Ben"], to one of the three deputy USTR slots.
And in charge of legislative affairs at USTR:
Danny Sepulveda, who worked on Obama's Senate staff, now heads the legislative affairs office at USTR.
But USTR still doesn't have a chief spokeperson.
The Director of International Trade and Investment at the National Security Council moves on to a law firm: National Security Council Trade Official Theodore Posner Joins Crowell & Moring's International Trade Group:
During his time at NSC, Posner played a central role in developing the regulatory framework governing national security reviews of foreign investment in the United States under the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007. Through his combined work at USTR and NSC, he has been involved in all CFIUS reviews of foreign investment since 2004. In his work at the NSC, Posner also helped shape U.S. economic policy in areas including protection of intellectual property rights, import safety, economic sanctions, and transatlantic economic integration.
In the "sharp elbows" department - the Rushford Report (registration required) passes on speculation that Hillary Clinton will be more involved in trade than past Secretaries of State: Clinton is rumored to be interested in expanding State's role in trade; Ron Kirk has not taken up his position yet; he is not well versed in trade issues; Geithner is preoccupied with domestic stimulus; Clinton has more stature than than either Kirk or Geithner; Washington rumor suggests that State is trying to take a relatively more significant role - vis-a-vis Treasury, on China issues. Rushford goes on to look at the role of trade issues during Clinton's Asian tour.
Rushford could have added that the administration hasn't even nominated as Undersecretary for International Affairs. The staffing problems, their causes, and their consequences, are covered in this article from the Washington Post, Late Change in Course Hobbled Rollout of Geithner's Bank Plan, and this one from the Wall Street Journal, Stringent Hiring Rules Leave Treasury in Need of Staff.
Feb 21: edits to last paragraph.
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