Special envoys will need OK from Senate in new year
President Biden’s administration is rushing to fill posts for special envoys and representatives ahead of a Jan. 3 deadline after which most such candidates will be required to get Senate confirmation. That rule, passed quietly in 2021, closes a loophole that let successive administrations circumvent the lengthy wait time that has plagued ambassadorial nominees.
The loophole had resulted in a proliferation of the envoy jobs, and Congress had grown increasingly frustrated that the administration was relying on special envoys to do work that lawmakers argued should fall under their oversight.
“The passage of this provision can be interpreted in a positive light, in that it seeks consensus on the importance of national priorities,” said Valerie SmithBoyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service. “But given the delays in the confirmation process that we’re seeing increasing with each administration, it runs the risk of delaying the elevation of important issues.”
Eager to beat the deadline, the Biden administration has announced several new envoys in recent weeks, including former Representative Abby Finkenauer for global youth issues, former Representative Joseph Kennedy III as an economic envoy to Northern Ireland, and Johnnie Carson, a veteran diplomat, to implement the goals of the US-Africa Leaders Summit.
They all can get to work immediately, without appearing before a Senate committee and facing a confirmation vote by the full chamber. That’s what’s about to change for future appointees.
Under the provision in a State Department authorization bill, as of Jan. 3 “an individual may not be designated as a Special Envoy, Special Representative, Special Coordinator, Special Negotiator, Envoy, Representative, Coordinator, Special Advisor, or other position performing a similar function, regardless of title, at the Department exercising significant authority pursuant to the laws of the United States without the advice and consent of the Senate.”
According to the American Foreign Service Association, the State Department now has 53 special envoys including ones for the Arctic, Yemen, the Horn of Africa, and other regions or subject matters that would seem to overlap with the jobs of ambassadors or other senior State Department officials.
A State Department official, who asked not to be identified discussing internal considerations, downplayed the significance of the new requirement, saying the administration hasn’t used special envoys and representatives as a workaround to the Senate confirmation process.
Instead, the person said, Biden’s envoys have tackled core national security priorities such as the Iranian nuclear program, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and the conflict in Ethiopia. The official said the administration now has a two-year track record of success using the positions, and would continue pushing the Senate to confirm all its nominees swiftly and on a bipartisan basis.
But the provision will clearly create problems and may prevent some current envoys from stepping down as planned, according to another person familiar with the matter. Of particular concern is the US envoy for the Iran nuclear talks, Rob Malley, who has faced sharp blowback from Republicans and some Democrats.
Another lightning rod is John Kerry, the special envoy for climate issues. Some Republicans argue that Kerry, a former secretary of state, is hijacking US policy for the sake of the Biden administration’s climate agenda.
BLOOMBERG NEWS
Voters express anger over representative-elect’s lies
NEW YORK — Days after Representative-elect George Santos admitted to misrepresenting his background, a district attorney on Long Island said she planned to look into whether he could face criminal charges, while Santos’s supporters expressed mixed reactions.
Anne Donnelly, the Nassau County district attorney, said in a statement that the “numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressmanelect Santos are nothing short of stunning” and called for him to be more accountable.
“No one is above the law, and if a crime was committed in this county, we will prosecute it,” said Donnelly, a Republican, in a statement that was first reported by Newsday.
Donnelly’s examination adds to the mounting pressure faced by Santos, a Republican who will represent northern Nassau County and northeast Queens when the next Congress begins, in the wake of a New York Times investigation that uncovered discrepancies in his campaign biography and raised questions about his business dealings.
On Monday, Santos confirmed some of the inaccuracies identified by the Times. He admitted to lying about having graduated from Baruch College and making misleading claims that he worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He also acknowledged that he was not, as he had claimed, making substantial income as a landlord.
In interviews with more than two dozen Long Islanders, many resident said they were disappointed by his actions and angry with his response. Felestasia Mawere, 50, who voted for Santos and donated to his campaign, said she believed he should not be in Congress after admitting to misleading voters.
“He cheated,” said Mawere, an accountant who lives in Manhasset. Of the falsehoods in his biography, she added, “He intentionally put that information knowing that it would persuade voters like me to vote for him.”
Still, Santos has not lost the broad support of his party, including those who will soon be his constituents.
Jackie Silver, 56, of Great Neck, said she had voted for Santos and would do so again. She said that those calling for Santos to step down or face further investigation were targeting him for being a Republican.
“When they don’t like someone, they really go after them,” Silver, a courier for Uber Eats and DoorDash, said. “Everyone fabricates their résumé. I’m not saying it’s correct.”
Santos’ biography was removed from his campaign website for most of Tuesday. By Wednesday, an updated version had been posted that excluded several previous details.
NEW YORK TIMES