Ahead of Presidential Transition, Senate Must Confirm Head of Office of Government Ethics

November 13, 2024

Ahead of Presidential Transition, Senate Must Confirm Head of Office of Government Ethics

Washington, D.C. - Today, Public Citizen, along with 20 other prominent civic organizations and ethics experts, sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell encouraging the Senate to move forward with confirming David Huitema as the next director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has held up the confirmation for over a year.

"The Office of Government Ethics plays a critical role in overseeing and advising the presidential transition process," said Craig Holman, government ethics expert at Public Citizen, "As Donald Trump's team begins that process, it is essential for all parties involved for the office to be fully staffed and operational."

The letter, whose signees include former Bush administration ethics officer Richard Painter and AEI political scholar Norm J. Ornstein, argues strongly against viewing ethics as a partisan game, noting,"the Directorship is a five-year term, specifically designed to overlap administrations to minimize the influence of partisan politics." The nominee, David Huitema, much like the prior OGE directors, has a seasoned career of impartial ethics enforcement, most recently overseeing the ethics program at the State Department.

To speak with an expert about the letter and the role the OGE plays in the presidential transition, contact Emily Leach, [email protected].