The following article by Julia Horowitz and Cristina Alesci was posted on the CNN Money website July 22, 2017:
President Trump has tapped a new acting head of the Office of Government Ethics, prompting criticism from the agency’s previous director who resigned this week after clashing with the White House on ethics issues.
“It’s unfortunate that the White House decided to play politics with the interim director role,” Walter Shaub, who stepped down on Wednesday, said in a statement.
Trump has picked David Apol, who has served as OGE’s general counsel since 2014, to lead the department until he selects a permanent director. In doing so, he passed over Shelley Finlayson, Shaub’s number two, was in line to be acting director.
The Office of Government Ethics, which helps administer the executive branch’s ethics program, has seen its profile heightened in recent months. Shaub frequently clashed with the Trump White House. Continue reading “Former White House ethics chief balks at Trump’s pick for acting director”