Sam Clovis
California newspaper urges Senate rejection of USDA ‘anti-science blowhard’
President Trump's chief political operative at USDA, Sam Clovis, is unqualified to serve as undersecretary for research and should be rejected by the Senate, said the editorial board of the San Jose Mercury-News. At nearly the same time the newspaper labeled Clovis as "an anti-science blowhard," 22 U.S. farm groups asked the Senate Agriculture Committee for swift confirmation of Clovis, a co-chair of Trump's presidential campaign.
Clovis is most controversial USDA pick in 15 years
Facing a chilly reception from Capitol Hill, Sam Clovis is the most controversial selection for a senior USDA post since Iowa agribusinessman Tom Dorr in the opening days of the George W. Bush administration. Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Pat Leahy of Vermont have joined the senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, in questioning Clovis's qualifications for an agriculture undersecretary post that includes serving as USDA's chief scientist.
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."
USDA will have one voice – Trump’s – when it answers policy questions
From now on, a cadre of Trump transition officials will decide key Agriculture Department actions, from budget and regulations to press releases and statements of policy, says a memo that routes major issues through the headquarters. The man temporarily in charge of USDA, career civil servant Michael Young, said the memo is similar to one issued in the first days of the Obama administration and is intended to assure a consistent message from a far-flung department.
A freeze on regulations before Trump team settles in at USDA
Within hours of taking office, the Trump administration put a freeze on federal regulations that could include the fair-play rules on livestock marketing issued last month and animal-welfare rules for organic farms issued last week. The new administration will have its first full workday of control at USDA today, with Sam Clovis, a senior adviser during the presidential campaign, as the top Trump official until the Senate confirms Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary.
Trump and Clinton camps agree: Keep food stamps in the farm bill
Donald Trump will not back a popular conservative proposal to split food stamps from the rest of the farm bill, said Sam Clovis, a senior advisor to the Republican presidential nominee. Speaking for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, former deputy agriculture secretary Kathleen Merrigan said food stamps are a key element of farm bills and Clinton would oppose cuts to the premiere U.S. anti-hunger program.
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.