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| Charles Koch |
Although many high-profile economic positions in the Trump administration have been filled with former Goldman Sachs partners, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Special Adviser to President Steve Bannon and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, the Koch brothers influence on the Trump administration should not be underestimated.
Cohn just announced senior staff appointments at the NEC, three are former assoictaes of the Koch brothers.
Cohn hired DJ Gribbin to oversee the president’s infrastructure policy, a major league position for potential cronyism.
Gribbin previously headed the government advisory for Macquarie Capital, a role in which he led advisory teams structuring public-private partnership transactions for governmental clients. He has also worked for Koch Industries and HDR helping clients "develop innovative ways to deliver infrastructure."
Brian Blase will oversee health policy at the NEC after working at the Koch-funded Mercatus Center, which has Charles Koch on its board.
Geroge David Banks will serve as Special Assistant to the President for International Energy and Environment. He worked at the Koch-funded American Council for Capital Formation and according to Intercept also lobbied for for energy corporations.
He also worked as a diplomat for the U.S. State Department and analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.
"Trump's National Economic Council Stuffed With Koch Brothers Operatives"
ReplyDeleteIs that at good or bad? Why or why not?
I'll concede that the Kochs are oligarchs. But if a Kochite displaces a Goldman or neocon, that can't be a bad thing. Or...?
ReplyDeleteThat in itself may not be a bad thing inherently, if one considers the Koch brothers are not virulently anti-trade and anti-market like Trump himself along with with some of his associates in his administration, like Bannon or Mnuchin.
ReplyDelete