Prime Only Members-Only Article

This Week: Industry Insiders, Former Lobbyists Make Cabinet Room Debut

|
January 3, 2019 4:56 p.m.

When President Donald Trump convened his Cabinet for a meeting Wednesday, there were a few new faces around the table: Sitting to the President’s left was Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan; on the President’s right, acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Both come with their own conflict-of-interest concerns: Shanahan, who replaced James Mattis, was a Boeing executive before joining the administration. And Ryan Zinke’s replacement, Bernhardt, used to lobby for the oil industry.

The new acting chiefs join the former lobbyists who currently run the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency regulating corporations they once worked for.

This is a members-only article
Small Team. Big Results.
We’re proud of what our small newsroom has accomplished and it’s not hyperbole when we say that without our members, none of this would be possible.
Free memberships available for students and those experiencing financial hardship.
Already a member? SIGN IN
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: