On Tuesday, eight members of the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) resigned at the request of the Biden government, according to Aloysius Hogan, a spokesman for the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which oversees the FSIP. The other two members who refused to resign from the panel, which resolves disputes between government agencies and labor groups, were dismissed until 5 pm that day.
Hours after this story was published on Saturday, Severino told CNN: “President Biden’s attempt to remove me contrary to the law exposes his high promises of healing and unity for all Americans as nothing more than cynical manipulation.”
Severino said in the lawsuit that he received an email sent on Tuesday “in the name of President Biden” asking him to resign on Wednesday at 5 pm or his appointment to the board would be closed.
The Biden government also removed people from Voice of America, where there were public protests about what was perceived as Trump’s attempt to create a news network that would function as an extension of his government.
Two nominees for the National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees the development of federal properties in the DC area, were also fired.
“The National Capital Planning Commission was notified by the White House on February 3, 2021 that those nominated by President Paul Dans and Commissioner Gibson Worsham are no longer members of the Commission,” said an NCPC spokesman in a statement.
Reflecting the more mundane sides of government bureaucracy, most of these councils are not familiar names, and those appointed by the president generally do not make the national news. But in an increasingly polarized Washington, the fates of several other Trump last-minute nominations remain unclear as they undergo a review and receive intensified scrutiny.
“The Biden government is conducting a thorough review of the remaining nominees on councils, commissions and advisory councils,” said White House spokesman Michael Gwin.
According to a White House official, as part of the review, the White House “can remove individuals whose continued participation in the council would not serve the public interest”.
While the Biden government’s strategy seems, in some cases, to try to completely wipe out advisory boards and panels to rebuild them from scratch, including those requiring a security clearance, it can be difficult for Biden to successfully undo the flood of Trump appointments to many prestigious councils and councils that are a permanent part of the Washington, DC social scene.
“We are not aware of any removal process,” John F. Kennedy Center spokesman for the Performing Arts, Brendan Padgett, told CNN about the center’s board of trustees, where Pam Bondi, the Florida attorney who served on Trump’s first impeachment defense team, he was recently appointed to serve until September 2026.
Other loyal nominations include Hope Hicks, Trump’s longtime adviser who was appointed to the 12-member J. William Fulbright Foreign Exchange Council; Matt Schlapp, a Republican lobbyist whose appointment to the Library of Congress Trust Fund Council was announced in early December; and Nick Luna, the man in Trump’s body, who is now on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council along with Rudy Giuliani’s son.
In many cases, these councils were predominantly or entirely filled with Trump’s allies, former advisers and supporters at the start of Biden’s presidency.
Last-minute presidential nominations
“It is normal for these positions to be filled especially at the end of an administration. What is not normal is appointed with so little connectivity or qualifications,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the non-partisan partnership for public service.
Appointments to prestigious boards and committees can be a glamorous part of the Washington, DC social scene, and nominees are generally responsible for making policy recommendations or advising government leaders on various topics, depending on the board.
While these roles generally do not include full-time salaries, nominees can enjoy the prestige associated with appointing a high-level board or committee, as well as some unique benefits. At the Kennedy Center, for example, board members are eligible for curatorial cabins in selected theaters on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the center’s spokesman, Padgett. On other boards, members may also be entitled to reimbursements related to travel or government work.
Paul Light, a New York University public service professor who researched the political nomination process, also noted that while it is “very common” for presidents to announce appointments at the end of their terms, what differentiates them is that “the nominations of Trump has been about Trump – end of story. ”
“Some are very talented and have a lot of hope energy, but others are an insult to the agencies and councils they are joining,” said Light, adding that in some cases Trump’s nominees were directly opposed to the mission of the council or agency that they joined.
According to a White House official, Trump’s FSIP nominees opposed Biden’s goal of strengthening the role of unions and giving workers greater protection in the workplace.
Management response from Biden
The day after Biden’s inauguration, Robert Reilly and Elizabeth Robbins received an email with a simple message – resign your positions as director and deputy director of Voice of America immediately or you will be fired.
With the impression that their papers were protected, the two Trump hires decided not to go silent and stepped back. Reilly was fired first by the interim CEO, who then immediately appointed a new interim director, who sacked Robbins.
The e-mails stated that “the emerging leadership has the authority to select employees whom it has personal confidence in meeting its political goals”. He went on to say that their termination “should not be interpreted in any way as a reflection” on them personally or on their performance.
Victoria Coates was also fired as president of Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which is funded by the government, despite the fact that she signed a two-year contract with the US Agency for Global Media, she told CNN. The Biden government called his deputy, Rob Greenway, to tell him that he too would be fired, according to Coates, who said she called the human resources department about Greenway’s resignation. Twenty minutes later, Coates said he received an email on his personal account notifying her that it had been closed immediately and that his emails had been cut. Coates and his lawyers sent a letter to the USAGM general counsel stating that they believe their contracts have been breached and are prepared to litigate if they are not honored.
“This is a shocking rejection of President Biden’s call for unity and reconciliation … and a clear violation of the MBN concession and my employment contracts,” Coates said in a statement.
What’s next for the nominees
In conversations with individuals on multi-agency boards and commissions, some nominees told CNN they were left in the dark about the status of their appointments and heard nothing about the new Biden administration.
Schlapp said he was “honored” to be appointed to the Library of Congress Trust Fund Council and that all necessary paperwork has been completed. According to the Library of Congress Deputy Director of Communications, Bill Ryan, members of the Trust Fund Council serve without remuneration and administer trust funds or other gifts to the library, including advising on how to invest them. “I know of no obstacles or problems and I look forward to using my experience and contacts to further the mission of this great American institution,” said Schlapp in a statement.
Luna, likewise, has heard nothing about her role change at the Holocaust Memorial Council.
Individuals on various government boards contacted by CNN said that recent appointments made under the Trump administration should remain on the boards. A recent Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board nominee, William Ruger, told CNN that he intends to fulfill his entire mandate.
“I was appointed in early December and a juror to the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Council two weeks ago. I look forward to fulfilling my full term on the board to support this very important program,” Ruger, who is vice president of research and policy at Charles Koch Institute said in a statement last Friday.
Andy Hollinger, director of communications for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, confirmed to CNN on Friday that the Biden administration did not contact him about the possible removal of any member of the Holocaust Memorial Council. “To my knowledge, this has never happened since the first Council was established in 1980,” said Hollinger, of the members being removed.
This story has been updated to include a statement by Roger Severino, appointed by Trump to the United States Administrative Conference Council.