Congress Seeks Details from Agencies on Burrowing In

House Democrats want to know whether President Trump’s political appointees are being converted into career civil servants.

24 House Democrat committee leaders have requested that 61 federal agencies provide a list of President Trump’s political appointees who have entered into career positions. Details the lawmakers are asking for include the names, titles, dates of service, gender and ethnicity of any relevant individuals. 

A November 25, 2020 letter from House Democrats to department, agency, and office heads reads, “We are seeking a full accounting of political appointees who have already been hired into career positions or are being considered for such conversions. The merit system principles of the federal workforce put in place guardrails to ensure that competitive service requirements are not bypassed to inappropriately place political appointees in permanent career service positions.”

The letter continues, “It is critical that Congress receive timely information about any potential and actual conversions made pursuant to this executive order.”

The letter instructs agencies to respond by December 9, 2020 and provide biweekly updates until the inauguration on January 20, 2021.