Cabinet of the United States

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Cabinet of the United States Cabinet of the United States Mike Pence Vice President The Indiana governor, 57, is charged with leading the team deciding the key appointments in the new administration. He served as the chair of the House Republican Conference, the third highest-ranking Republican leadership position. Rex Tillerson Secretary of State He is an American businessman. He was the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of ExxonMobil from 2006 to 2016. Steven Mnuchin Secretary of the Treasury He is a former Goldman Sachs partner and senior manager and hedge fund investor. James Mattis Secretary of Defense He is a retired United States Marine Corps general who last served as the 11th Commander of United States Central Command, the Unified Combatant Command responsible for American military operations in the Middle East, Northeast Africa and Central Asia Cabinet Members Jeff Sessions Attorney General He is the junior United States Senator from Alabama. He is a member of the Republican Party. He currently ranks fifteen in seniority in the United States Senate and became the most senior junior Senator upon the retirement of Barbara Boxer in January 2017. Ryan Zinke Secretary of the Interior He is an American politician serving as U.S. Representative for Montana's at-large congressional district. A Republican, he previously served as a member of the Montana Senate, representing Senate District 2 from 2009 to 2011. Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce He is an American investor, and former banker, known for restructuring failed companies in industries such as steel, coal, telecommunications, foreign investment and textiles. He specializes in leveraged buyouts and distressed businesses Andrew Puzder Secretary of Labor He is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Puzder has served as president and CEO of CKE since September 2000. Cabinet Members Tom Price Secretary of Health and Human Services He is an American physician and politician who is the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Price's district encompasses the northern suburbs of Atlanta. Ben Carson Secretary of Housing and Urban Development He is an American retired surgeon, author, and politician. Born in Detroit, Michigan, and a graduate of Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School, Carson has authored numerous books on his medical career and political stances. Elaine Chao Secretary of Transportation Chao was the first Asian American woman and the first Taiwanese American in U.S. history to be appointed to a President's Cabinet. She served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush. Rick Perry Secretary of Energy He is an American politician who was 47th Governor of Texas from December 2000 to January 2015. A Republican, he was elected Lieutenant. Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000. Cabinet Members Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education She is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, and education activist. She was Republican National Committeewoman for Michigan from 1992 to 1997 and served as chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1996 to 2000. David Shulkin Secretary of Veterans Affairs He is the current Under Secretary of Health for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on March 18, 2015 and sworn in on July 6, 2015. John F. Kelly Secretary of Homeland Security He is a retired United States Marine Corps general and the former commander of United States Southern Command, the Unified Combatant Command responsible for American military operations in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Nikki Haley Ambassador to the United Nations She is the 116th and current Governor of South Carolina, since January 2011. Haley is a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, serving from 2005 until her election as governor. Cabinet Members Scott Pruitt Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency He is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma.Pruitt represented Tulsa and Wagoner Counties in the Oklahoma Senate from 1998 until 2006. Robert Lighthizer United States Trade Representative Born in Ashtabula, Ohio, Lighthizer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969 and a Juris Doctor in 1973 from Georgetown University. Mick Mulvaney Director of the Office of Management and Budget He is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 5th congressional district since 2011. He is the first Republican to represent South Carolina's 5th district since 1883. Linda McMahon Administrator of the Small Business Administration She is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. McMahon was active with the WWE from 1980 to 2009. During this time, the company grew from a small regional business in the North East to a large multinational corporation. Cabinet Members Sonny Perdue Secretary of Agriculture He is an American politician who served as the 81st Governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican Governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. Perdue currently serves on the Governors’ Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, DC. White House Staff Reince Priebus White House Chief of Staff The departing chairman of the Republican National Committee is known as a dealmaker and is close with the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan. His role will be key in a White House run by Mr. Trump. Steve Bannon White House Chief Strategist Born in Virginia in 1953, Mr Bannon spent four years in the navy before completing an MBA at Harvard. He then went into investment banking and, after a spell with Goldman Sachs, moved successfully into media financing. Michael Flynn White House National security adviser He is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who last served as the 18th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, from July 22, 2012, to August 7, 2014. Jared Kushner White House Senior adviser He Is an American real estate investor and developer, publisher, and senior advisor to President-elect Donald Trump. White House Staff Stephen Miller White House Senior policy adviser He is an American political operative, best known for working for Republican Senator Jeff Sessions and president-elect Donald Trump. Kellyanne Conway White House Counselor to the President She is an American Republican campaign manager, strategist, and pollster. She is president and CEO of The Polling Company Inc./Woman Trend, and has been a political commentator on CNN, Fox News and Fox Business. Don McGahn White House Counsel He Is an American campaign finance lawyer and former member of the United States Federal Election Commission. He was chief counsel for the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1999 to 2008. He was nominated to the Federal Election Commission in 2008 by George W. Bush and served in that role until 2013. Sean Spicer White House Director of Communications Spicer has been Communications Director of the Republican National Committee since 2011, and Chief Strategist since 2015. .
Recommended publications
  • Letter to U.S. Senate HELP Committee Opposing the Nomination Of
    January 6, 2017 The Honorable Lamar Alexander The Honorable Patty Murray Chair Ranking Member Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Pensions U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Chair Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: On behalf of the National Partnership for Women & Families and the activists and supporters we represent, I write today in strong opposition to the nomination of Andrew Puzder to be U.S. Secretary of Labor. Mr. Puzder’s nomination represents a stunning and unwelcome departure from the dedicated and powerful champions who have held the post in recent years, and who have helped advance policies that promote fair wages, equal pay, paid sick days, paid family and medical leave and equal employment opportunities. The Puzder nomination betrays America’s workers, especially women and people of color whose rights he has worked to erode. The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, reproductive health and rights, access to quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of job and family. For more than 45 years, we have worked to advance policies that create opportunities for women in the workforce and greater economic security for women and their families. The National Partnership has worked tirelessly to secure updated wage and hour protections for millions of America’s workers, new equal employment opportunity protections for federal contract employees, and vigorous enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act – all of which will be in grave jeopardy if the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 70Th Annual Honor Awards Program Book
    70TH HONOR AWARDS PROGRAM THE HERBERT C. HOOVER BUILDING AUDITORIUM 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW September 25, 2018 INTRODUCTION Kevin E. Mahoney Director for Human Resources Management PRESENTATION OF COLORS Armed Forces Color Guard NATIONAL ANTHEM Tishema Miller REMARKS Karen Dunn Kelley Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Performing the Nonexclusive Duties and Functions of the Deputy Secretary ADDRESS Honorable Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS Lisa Casias Acting Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary for Administration, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration PRESENTATION OF GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS Secretary Ross assisted by Department Officials CLOSING REMARKS Lisa Casias Acting Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary for Administration, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY It is my distinct privilege and great pleasure to welcome you to the 70th Annual Honor Awards Ceremony recognizing the most outstanding workers at the U.S. Department of Commerce. I am pleased to stand with the recipients of our Department’s highest award for excellence. The winners of this year’s Gold and Silver Medal Honor Awards reflect the culture of the work environment at our agency: A devotion to the mission of creating economic opportunities for every American. The accelerating adoption of advanced technologies and globalization means that we as a Department are adapting and changing. Our expertise in trade, technology, investment and data analysis is required to guarantee that the U.S. economy is competitive, vigorous, and growing. More is being asked of us than ever before. The sacrifice our Honor Award recipients make for the success of this mission does not go unnoticed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Department of Injustice Under Jeff Sessions the Department of Injustice Under Jeff Sessions January 2019
    January 2019 The Department of Injustice Under Jeff Sessions The Department of Injustice Under Jeff Sessions January 2019 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 VOTING RIGHTS 2 IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS 3 CRIMINAL JUSTICE 6 DISABILITIES 9 HEALTH CARE 10 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY 10 LGBT RIGHTS 10 CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY 11 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 12 WORKERS' RIGHTS 12 FREE PRESS AND PROTEST RIGHTS 12 PRIVACY RIGHTS 13 SEPARATION OF POWERS 15 POLITICIZED ANALYSIS AND PERSONNEL 15 INTRODUCTION Jeff Sessions' tenure at the Department of Justice was a national disgrace. As attorney general, he was entrusted to enforce federal laws — including civil rights laws — and secure equal justice for all. Instead, Sessions systematically undermined our civil rights and liberties, dismantled legal protections for the vulnerable and persecuted, and politicized the Justice Department's powers in ways that threaten American democracy. When President Donald Trump and his political appointees elsewhere in his administration tried to do the same, often in violation of the Constitution, Sessions' Justice Department went into overdrive manufacturing legal and factual justifications on their behalf and defending the unjust actions in court. Sessions was aided by Trump-approved appointees who often overruled career attorneys and staffers committed to a high level of neutral professionalism. Under Sessions' political leadership, these Trump appointees have inflicted significant damage in the past two years. Together they have threatened the First Amendment rights of the press and protesters, targeted the communities Trump disfavors through discriminatory policies and tactics, attacked the ability of ordinary citizens to vote and change their elected government, vindictively retaliated against perceived political opponents, and thwarted congressional oversight of the Justice Department's activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Christy Goldfuss; Mick Mulvaney; John Holdren; Rick D.C
    Case: 18-71928, 07/20/2018, ID: 10949350, DktEntry: 11, Page 1 of 10 FILED FOR PUBLICATION JUL 20 2018 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT In re: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; No. 18-71928 CHRISTY GOLDFUSS; MICK MULVANEY; JOHN HOLDREN; RICK D.C. No. 6:15-cv-01517-AA PERRY; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR; RYAN ZINKE; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF OPINION TRANSPORTATION; ELAINE L. CHAO; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; SONNY PERDUE; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE; WILBUR ROSS; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; JAMES N. MATTIS; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE; OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES; U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY; DONALD J. TRUMP; MICHAEL R. POMPEO; ANDREW WHEELER, ______________________________ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; CHRISTY GOLDFUSS, in her official capacity as Director of Council on Environmental Quality; MICK MULVANEY, in his official capacity as Director of the Office of Management and Budget; JOHN HOLDREN, Dr., in his official capacity as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; RICK PERRY, in his official capacity as Case: 18-71928, 07/20/2018, ID: 10949350, DktEntry: 11, Page 2 of 10 Secretary of Energy; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR; RYAN ZINKE, in his official capacity as Secretary of Interior; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION; ELAINE L. CHAO, in her official capacity as Secretary of Transportation; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; SONNY PERDUE, in his official capacity as Secretary of Agriculture; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE; WILBUR ROSS, in his official capacity as Secretary of Commerce; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; JAMES N.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Kate Kelly & Andrew Ross Sorkin, Massive United States-Saudi Infrastructure Fund Struggles to 2 Id. 3 Lionel Laurent, Blac
    June 4, 2019 VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL Kathy Ray U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE W94-122 Washington, DC 20590 [email protected] Re: Freedom of Information Act Request Dear Ms. Ray: Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, and your agency’s implementing regulations, American Oversight makes the following request for records. In May 2017, the private equity firm Blackstone Group announced the creation of an investment fund for U.S. infrastructure projects, which would be funded in large part by the government of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).1 The effort to raise funds stalled,2 however, and faced further setbacks after the murder of U.S. resident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018.3 Blackstone Group has extensive ties to the Trump administration. Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman is a prominent supporter and advisor of President Trump’s,4 and publicly released records indicate contact with senior officials at the Treasury and Commerce Departments— including on the topic of Blackstone Group’s venture with PIF. For example, in September 2017 1 Kate Kelly & Andrew Ross Sorkin, Massive United States-Saudi Infrastructure Fund Struggles to Get Going, N.Y. TIMES, Apr. 4, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/business/blackstone- infrastructure-fund-saudi.html. 2 Id. 3 Lionel Laurent, Blackstone’s Long-Term Saudi Vision Looks Blinkered, BLOOMBERG OPINION, Oct. 22, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/blackstones-long-term-saudi-vision-looks- blinkered/2018/10/23/a36d5760-d603-11e8-8384- bcc5492fef49_story.html?utm_term=.3d09777de352.
    [Show full text]
  • Government Relations Landscape Report – December 16, 2016
    Government Relations Landscape Report – December 16, 2016 SMRP Congressional and Regulatory Activity Collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security on Cybersecurity SMRP continues to work with the Department of Homeland Security on increasing SMRP’s cyber awareness, including hosting an educational webinar specifically for SMRP members and writing an article about why and how SMRP members participate in cybersecurity measures for the spring issue of Solutions. DOL’s Overtime Rule Delayed A federal District Court in Texas issued a temporary injunction on November 22, 2016 of the Department of Labor’s pending overtime regulation. This regulation was set to go in effect December 1, 2016. This injunction delays the implementation of President Obama’s overtime regulation that would extend overtime eligibility to an estimated 4.2 million workers. If the injunction remains intact when President- elect Trump takes office in January, it may allow the new administration to modify, amend or repeal the DOL’s overtime rule, even if further judicial action is not taken to ultimately overturn the regulations. Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Confirmed as Next Education Committee Chair On December 2, Representative Foxx (R-NC) was officially selected as the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for the 115th Congress. Representative Foxx has served on the Committee for several years and for the past six, served as chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. Rep. Foxx has outlined several priorities she would pursue as chair of the Committee, including Perkins Reauthorization (if not completed this year), rolling back federal regulations on policies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, and reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
    [Show full text]
  • Secretary of Labor Violations? the Low Road Business Model of Cke Restaurants’ Andrew Puzder
    SECRETARY OF LABOR VIOLATIONS? THE LOW ROAD BUSINESS MODEL OF CKE RESTAURANTS’ ANDREW PUZDER BY RESTAURANT OPPORTUNITIES CENTERS UNITED IN COLLABORATION WITH CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL JANUARY 10, 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 INTRODUCTION 2 PUZDER AND THE OTHER NRA 3 METHODS 3 WAGE AND HOUR VIOLATIONS 5 COMPARISON OF LIMITED SERVICE RESTAURANTS AND EMPLOYMENT AND CKE RESTAURANT WORKING CONDITIONS IN CA AND TN 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS 8 ANDREW PUZDER EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 9 DISCRIMINATION AND UNFAIR TREATMENT 10 PUZDER PROFILE: LOBBYING AND POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS 11 SEXUAL HARASSMENT 12 CKE WORKERS SPEAK OUT ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT 12 WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENTS DESIRED BY CKE WORKERS 12 CKE WORKERS SPEAK OUT ABOUT ABUSIVE MANAGEMENT 13 CONCLUSION 14 APPENDIX: WORKER STORIES 20 ENDNOTES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Questionnaire about working conditions draws unprecedented response from CKE Restaurants workers eager to share their stories about wage theft and sexual harassment on the job. 891 CKE workers reached out to ROC, and 564 completed surveys about their working conditions. Seventy six percent of respondents were women. Sixty-six percent of women at CKE Restaurants reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviors at work, compared to 40% of women in the fast food industry overall, according to a national survey. Women working at CKE reported over 1.5 times the rate of sexual harassment reported for the industry overall. Due to severe understaffing in the company, almost a third (28%) of respondents worked off-the-clock. Approximately one third reported a wide range of wage theft violations, including not receiving required breaks, and overtime pay. Seventy-nine percent of CKE Restaurants workers reported that they have prepared or served food while sick, this is higher than the rate in any of the cities we have previously surveyed.
    [Show full text]
  • House Subpoenas Documents from Barr
    House Subpoenas Documents From Barr Permian Mikael shepherds no Okayama syphons steaming after Husain decalcifies exceedingly, quite finest. Ev gags his gabardine spud dwarfishly, but pulsing Aldric never coddled so bitter. Necrotic Gerard usually engirdled some antacid or outdrank tenably. Actually being taped should know essentially mechanical, house subpoenas issued six documents that trump begins is it for a remarkably able to characterize because i am always had done in any discussions Judicial process a conservative foundation fights for accountability and integrity of law politics and government Because no summary is savings the law. House sues Attorney General William Barr and Commerce. US House panel sues Barr Ross seeking to reveal Census. A subpoena seeking documents from Hunter Biden asked for information. Former top General William Barr told The Associated Press last. But Democrats subpoenaed the full document along with underlying. The decision was considered a key test of field House impeachment effort as humid chamber seeks to enforce subpoenas for beat and documents from the. House votes to hold valid General Barr Commerce. House Committee Sues Barr and Ross Over 2020 Census. FILE PHOTO Pro-Trump protesters storm into the US Capitol during clashes with. House moves to enforce subpoenas against Barr and McGahn. Justice document and documents from wave records that earlier point, but i want to invite you are first saw it is displayed on. If William Barr continues to defy subpoenas Watergate offers. Children to are challenging Attorney General William Barr's plans to resume Jan 22. House Approves Move to Enforce McGahn Barr Subpoenas. Barr and Ross had refused to cellular with the subpoenas after Trump asserted executive privilege over the documents.
    [Show full text]
  • 50 Reasons the Trump Administration Is Bad for Workers President Trump Has Said He Would ‘Protect’ and ‘Fight For’ Workers
    50 reasons the Trump administration is bad for workers President Trump has said he would ‘protect’ and ‘fight for’ workers. Instead, his administration has systematically done the opposite. Report • By Celine McNicholas, Lynn Rhinehart, and Margaret Poydock • September 16, 2020 The Trump administration’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic marks the administration’s most glaring failure of leadership. However, the administration’s response to the pandemic is in no way distinct from its approach to governing since President Trump’s first day on the job. The administration has systematically promoted the interests of corporate executives and shareholders over those of working people and failed to protect workers’ safety, wages, and rights. The pandemic has merely provided the administration another opportunity to continue its attacks on workers’ rights. Instead of instituting policies to protect the nation’s essential workers, the administration has remained largely silent on workplace safety standards, refusing to issue mandatory emergency standards to protect workers against the new threat of the coronavirus. As a result, workers continue to be required to work without protective gear and other measures necessary to keep them safe.1 Furthermore, sick workers continue to lack access to paid leave.2 And, when workers try to speak up for themselves and one another, they are fired.3 This report provides a review of the Trump administration’s 50 most egregious attacks on working people since Trump took office. This analysis reveals that President Trump’s time in office has been marked by a clear commitment to advancing a pro-corporate, anti-worker agenda.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Government Officials (May 2020)
    Updated 12/07/2020 GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESIDENT President Donald John Trump VICE PRESIDENT Vice President Michael Richard Pence HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar II Attorney General William Barr Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt Secretary of Energy Danny Ray Brouillette Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Benjamin Carson Sr. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao Secretary of Education Elisabeth DeVos (Acting) Secretary of Defense Christopher D. Miller Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin Secretary of Agriculture George “Sonny” Perdue III Secretary of State Michael Pompeo Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Jr. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie Jr. (Acting) Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Ralph Abraham Jr. Alma Adams Robert Aderholt Peter Aguilar Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. Richard “Rick” Allen Colin Allred Justin Amash Mark Amodei Kelly Armstrong Jodey Arrington Cynthia “Cindy” Axne Brian Babin Donald Bacon James “Jim” Baird William Troy Balderson Tammy Baldwin James “Jim” Edward Banks Garland Hale “Andy” Barr Nanette Barragán John Barrasso III Karen Bass Joyce Beatty Michael Bennet Amerish Babulal “Ami” Bera John Warren “Jack” Bergman Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. Andrew Steven “Andy” Biggs Gus M. Bilirakis James Daniel Bishop Robert Bishop Sanford Bishop Jr. Marsha Blackburn Earl Blumenauer Richard Blumenthal Roy Blunt Lisa Blunt Rochester Suzanne Bonamici Cory Booker John Boozman Michael Bost Brendan Boyle Kevin Brady Michael K. Braun Anthony Brindisi Morris Jackson “Mo” Brooks Jr. Susan Brooks Anthony G. Brown Sherrod Brown Julia Brownley Vernon G. Buchanan Kenneth Buck Larry Bucshon Theodore “Ted” Budd Timothy Burchett Michael C.
    [Show full text]
  • Wilbur Ross Cabinet Title: Commerce Secretary Chairman of WL Ross & Co LLC Corporate Connection: WL Ross & Co LLC
    Corporate Cabinet Profile Series Name: Wilbur Ross Cabinet Title: Commerce Secretary Chairman of WL Ross & Co LLC Corporate Connection: WL Ross & Co LLC Wilbur Ross is the chairman of the private equity firm WL Ross & Co LLC.1 His net worth is $2.5 billion.2 Dubbed the “king of bankruptcy” by supporters and despised as a “vulture” by critics, his firm specializes in the speculative activity of buying, restructuring and re-selling failing businesses. Having worker benefits such as pensions and health care offloaded in the bankruptcy process is a principal means by which Ross turns money-losing corporations into profit makers.3 Industries where Ross’ firm has been active include steel, coal, textiles and auto parts.4 At one distressed property his business acquired, a coal mine in West Virginia that was cited for numerous violations, an explosion in 2006 killed a dozen workers a few weeks after Ross’s company took it over..5 Ross is a major GOP supporter, giving nearly $1 million to Republican candidates over the past 17 years. ● Along with billionaire speculator and fellow Trump appointee Carl Icahn, Ross helped Trump salvage failing casino properties in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the 1990s.6 ● His firm in August 2016 agreed to pay a $2.3 million fine to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for not properly disclosing fees to investors.7 ● Ross sits on boards of directors of the ArcelorMittal (the world’s largest steel corporation), Bank of Cyprus, EXCO Resources (a fossil fuel corporation), Sun Bancorp (the bank holding company),
    [Show full text]
  • Local Responses to Offshore Exploration and Development Along the Atlantic
    Local Responses to Offshore Exploration and Development Along the Atlantic An Analysis of Municipal Resolution Adoptions Kathryn Ridgway Professor Megan Mullin, Political Science Faculty Advisor Honors Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Graduation with Distinction in Political Science at Duke University in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences Duke University Durham, North Carolina March 2020 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 2 Abstract 3 Introduction 4 Background and Literature Review 6 Contextualizing the Atlantic Opposition 7 State-Federal Conflicts to Local Action 10 Current Local Action 13 Incentives and Disincentives for Local Action 16 Theory 17 Data and Model 23 Results 29 Discussion 36 References 39 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Megan Mullin. This project would not have been possible without your constant mentorship and guidance. I would also like to thank Steve Roady and Dr. Doug Nowacek for your unique input and advice that eventually led me to formulate the basis for this project. Another round of thanks goes to Dr. Meagan Dunphy-Daley and the Duke University Rachel Carson Scholars Program for the unparalleled research experience and professional development opportunities. Lastly, a big shout of praise goes to my mother for your enduring support and love throughout this process. 3 Abstract What explains local responses to offshore exploration and development along the Atlantic? This question takes on increasing importance as local governments use specific political tools to reject their subordinate status in the hierarchal governance structure that manages offshore activities. By analyzing resolutions adopted by municipalities from Florida to New York, this research seeks to define what factors shorten the timing in which local governments object to recent presidential announcements to open the Atlantic to offshore activities.
    [Show full text]