diplopundit.net, Posted: 12:30 am EST; see also
Bloomberg News says “Trump’s pick for UN ambassador had employed a nanny who was in US legally but didn’t have a US work permit.”
Wait. When was this nanny hired? The spokesperson job does not require senate confirmation but like almost all jobs at the State Department, it requires a security clearance. So are they saying that the nanny issue, if that was the issue, did not come up during her initial vetting when she first came to State two years ago?
MSM is also reporting that Ms. Nauert is not expected to return to her State Department jobs. Until her announced nomination, she was the department spokesperson, and for a while, she was also the Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy [JB emphasis] and Public Affairs, after the Senate-confirmed “R” Steve Goldstein was fired with Rex Tillerson. In August 2018, the State Department appointed career FSO Robert Palladino as deputy spokesperson. But to-date, no one has been announced to succeed her as spokesperson, and there’s not even an acting spokesperson.
In any case, the post of UN Ambassador is up for grabs again, and some names we’ve heard before, we are hearing once more. The Apprentice UN Edition is now on, people! So exciting dammit, I nearly micturated!
A side note —
At times, though not always, the State spokesperson is also dual-hatted as the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. The assistant secretary position used to be Senate-confirmed but P.L. 112-116, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 (signed into law August 10, 2012), removed the requirement for Senate confirmation of Assistant Secretaries of State for Public Affairs.
Anyone remember why this was done?
You should know that on February 5, Secretary Pompeo delegated to Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michelle Giuda the authorities of the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R). Her official title is “Senior Official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs.
It appears that the State Department is just going with “senior official” now and no longer even make use of the “acting” title for officials. It also appears that the State Department no longer adhere to the previous practice of only appointing Senate-confirmed officials in “acting” capacity (don’t remember senior officials as responsible for their bureaus prior to this administration). We should note that only one official at the “R” bureau has been confirmed by the Senate, that’s the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce (and spouse of former HFAC chair Ed Royce).
Is this Pompeo’s version of Trump’s “I like acting. It gives me more flexibility.”
Related posts:
- Presidential Casting: Heather Nauert to the UN
- Heather Nauert Nomination: Reactions
- Heather Nauert: From Spox to Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs .
- Heather Nauert: From Fox News Channel to State Department Spokesperson
Former "Fox & Friends" host Heather Nauert withdrew from consideration for the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. post because she had a nanny without a proper work visa, according to people familiar with the process. nyti.ms/2DOtWJk
NEW ELEMENT: Nauert not expected to return to her job as State Dept spox either, sources tell me & @jamiegangel - note that in the Pompeo stmt he wishes her “nothing but the best in all of her future endeavors”
#HeatherNauert is expected to return to NY where her family remained during her 2 years at State Dept according to people close to her. She leaves with high praise from @SecPompeo
Scoop: Heather Nauert’s nomination
for UN ambassador became politically untenable—nanny problem would’ve almost certainly come out in confirmation hearing.
Trump’s already talking to people about options for new pick.
By me, @nwadhams @margarettalevbloomberg.com/news/articles/…
LATEST on who Trump’s considering for UN ambassador:
—Dina Powell, his former deputy national security adviser
—Kelly Craft, US ambassador to Canada
—John James, former US Senate candidate from Michigan
—Richard Grenell, US ambassador to Germany
per sources w/ direct knowledge.
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