New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is counseling Donald Trump on plans to make it easier to fire President Obama’s appointees if he makes it to the White House, with Christie bragging in a closed-door donor meeting at the Republican convention that the campaign is hatching a list of staffers that would get the ax, Reuters reported.
Christie, who is leading Trump’s transition team, told dozens of GOP donors on Tuesday he has urged Trump to “immediately” pressure Congress to change federal civil service laws in an effort to foil “burrowing,” the practice of political appointees seeking refuge amid an administration change by shuffling into civil servant roles.
Firing civil servants is “cumbersome” and “time-consuming,” Christie reportedly said at the closed-door meeting, and “Donald likes to fire people,” Reuters reported, citing an audio recording the news agency obtained and reports from two anonymous sources in the meeting.
Burrowing is a common tactical move, which was well publicized near the close of George W. Bush’s time in office as dozens of Bush loyalists moved into civil positions ahead of Obama’s inauguration.
Christie said the move would set up “roadblocks” for the President’s political successor, comparing it to the prank Clinton staffers played by removing the Ws from White House computer keyboards before Bush’s aides inherited the halls.
