Sam Clovis, tainted in Russia probe, resurfaces in Trump campaign
A national co-chair of the 2016 Trump campaign, Sam Clovis, is a member of the newly announced Farmers and Ranchers for Trump, according to the organization's website. Clovis withdrew his nomination for USDA chief scientist on Nov. 2, 2017, after investigators said he encouraged a campaign staff worker to try to contact Russians claiming to have harmful information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Trump chooses Big Ag executive for USDA chief scientist
Scott Hutchins, an executive at DowDuPont, is President Trump’s choice for USDA chief scientist, announced the White House on Monday. The post of chief scientist, which doubles as undersecretary for research, has been vacant since Trump took office.
Former Trump co-chair Sam Clovis leaves USDA
Six months after withdrawing his nomination for USDA chief scientist, Sam Clovis will leave the department on Friday and return to Iowa. The nomination was doomed when Clovis was caught up in the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Clovis keeps White House job, gives up hope of being USDA chief scientist
From the first day of the Trump administration, Sam Clovis was the White House liaison to the USDA. Although he is keeping that job, he is abandoning a divisive bid to be USDA chief scientist. Withdrawal of the nomination highlights the startlingly slow pace of the administration in providing an executive team to help Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue put Trump policies into play.
Stabenow questions Clovis on Russia and his campaign role
The senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee asked USDA nominee Sam Clovis in a letter why, as a co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign, he encouraged an off-the-record meeting with Russian government officials. The meeting was proposed by foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his repeated contacts with Russians in 2016.
White House stands by Clovis for USDA chief scientist
President Trump supports the nomination of Sam Clovis to serve as USDA chief scientist despite court documents showing that his former campaign co-chair encouraged foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos to meet Russian officials surreptitiously, said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. The court documents put Clovis, the most controversial USDA nominee in 15 years, back into the public spotlight and may delay action on the nomination.
USDA nominee Clovis is on the periphery of Papadopoulos Russian mess
As a co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign, Sam Clovis handled emails from foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, who tried from April to August 2016 to arrange a meeting between the campaign and the Russian government and has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about it. According to one report, Clovis is the unnamed "Campaign Supervisor" cited in court documents who told Papadopoulous in mid-August, "I would encourage you" to make an off-the-record trip to Russia.
Russia questions keep coming for Clovis
The lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to interview the USDA’s Sam Clovis, a co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign, about proposals that Trump representatives meet Russian government officials during the 2016 campaign.
Clovis still on shelf as Senate Ag sets new hearing on USDA nominees
For the second time, the Senate Agriculture Committee will consider President Trump’s nominees for USDA policymaking positions, though it has yet to schedule a hearing for Sam Clovis, co-chair of Trump’s presidential campaign and the most controversial USDA nominee in 15 years. Instead, committee leaders called a hearing for Oct. 5 on Bill Northey, nominated for undersecretary for farm production and conservation, and Greg Ibach, for undersecretary for marketing and regulation.
Stabenow says Trump should withdraw Clovis nomination
The senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, said in a letter to supporters that she opposes the nomination of Sam Clovis to be the USDA's chief scientist, "and I call on President Trump to withdraw it immediately," reported Hill Heat, which covers global warming. Stabenow is the first member of the agriculture committee to formally oppose Clovis, a co-chair of Trump's presidential campaign and his chief political liaison at the USDA.
Half of early crop political appointees at USDA worked on Trump campaign
"Most of that group also lack experience working in agriculture. The 42 appointees include a number who do have farm-policy chops — but none of those tout time on the Trump campaign," said Politico in its Morning Ag newsletter. "Among this crop of appointees are a former cabana boy, a truck driver, an AT&T cellular phone salesman and the owner of a scented-candle company."
Former Ag Secretary Vilsack says USDA science nominee lacks credibility
Former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said President Trump’s nominee to head the USDA’s research division wouldn’t be a credible choice with the scientific community, according to Harvest Public Media. Trump nominated former conservative talk radio host and economics professor Sam Clovis to be the USDA’s chief scientist in July, setting off a wave of criticism.
Iowa ag director choice to run USDA subsidy, stewardship, insurance programs
President Trump nominated Bill Northey, the Iowa agriculture secretary, to be undersecretary of agriculture for farm production and conservation, the No. 3 post at the USDA. The president also nominated Nebraska state agriculture director Gregory Ibach to be undersecretary for marketing and regulation.
Top Senate Democrat calls for withdrawal of ‘wildly unqualified’ USDA nominee
President Trump should withdraw the nomination of “wildly unqualified” Sam Clovis for USDA chief scientist “as a gesture to the American people that this administration is serious about rooting out the most hateful voices in our society,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a joint statement with Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
USDA nominee Clovis: same-sex marriage could lead to legalization of pedophilia
In the years before becoming co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign, Iowa college professor Sam Clovis, nominated to be the USDA's chief scientist, said homosexuality was a choice and that same-sex marriage could lead to legalization of pedophilia, reported CNN's KFile. The White House did not respond to a CNN request for comment and a USDA spokeswoman told the KFile, "The Supreme Court settled the issue in 2015."
Nominee for USDA chief scientist called climate change a con job
The White House nominee for USDA chief scientist, Sam Clovis, described President Obama as an aspiring dictator and climate change as a con job during a broadcast career in Iowa a few years ago, said CNN's KFile. The USDA had no immediate response. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said an earlier CNN report on Clovis' political views was part of a smear campaign against Trump nominees.
Perdue: Trump and I believe in Clovis
If there was any question of backing for Sam Clovis, nominated to be USDA chief scientist, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said, "I fully support the nomination" and "the president has confidence in his abilities." Perdue brushed aside questions whether Clovis, a college professor, has the credentials for the job.
Consumer group chief: Law requires rejection of USDA nominee Clovis
In a hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Michael Jacobson, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said that while Sam Clovis has a broad resume and “there are likely senior jobs in the Administration that he would have been qualified to hold, the job of USDA chief scientist is not one of them.”
Senior Democrat on Senate Ag has ‘strong concerns’ about Clovis’ qualifications
President Trump's choice for USDA chief scientist, college professor Sam Clovis, appears to lack the credentials for the job, said Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the senior Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, which will vote on the nomination. The Union of Concerned Scientists said Clovis, "a vocal climate denier...is an unacceptable and illegal choice for this important role."