Trump Sends to Senate Slate of FTC Nominees Including New Pick From Delta; McSweeny Would Leave
President Donald Trump's administration Tuesday said it sent the Senate four FTC nominees (see here). If they are all confirmed, both current commissioners would leave. Three of the picks had been expected, plus Delta Air Lines' Christine Wilson. The agency would be at its full complement only if existing Commissioner Terrell McSweeny were to stay, but her term would be filled by the incoming chairman. Earlier this week, the White House announced it was nominating current acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen to be a judge and she would leave once her successor arrives, and that nomination has been sent to the Senate.
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Wilson would be a commission member for the rest of Ohlhausen's term and then seven years from Sept. 26, the White House said. The former top aide to FTC Chairman Timothy Muris in the George W. Bush administration, Wilson is an antitrust and consumer protection expert and senior vice president-regulatory and international affairs at Delta, the administration said. "For over twenty years, Ms. Wilson has been an advocate of the fundamental principle that competition -- not regulation -- is the best protection for consumers and the strongest prescription for a healthy economy."
The other nominees, whom the White House previously had said it was picking, are Joseph Simons, whom the administration previously said it would designate chairman, former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Assistant Director Rohit Chopra and Noah Phillips. Simons would get "the term of seven years from September 26, 2017, vice Terrell McSweeny, term expired," said the administration. The paperwork for Simons and Chopra previously was sent to the Senate but was held up for Phillips, an aide to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Chopra would fill the term of Joshua Wright and his term would end Sept. 26, 2019, while Phillips would get Julie Brill's term (she previously left) and that would end Sept. 26, 2024.
The White House, FTC, Delta and McSweeny's office didn't have further comment right away.