Last week the White House made official what has been rumored for months: President Trump will nominate Kevin McIntyre, co-leader of the global Energy Practice at the Jones Day law firm, as the fifth (and final) FERC commissioner. He will also make McIntyre chairman of the commission, transferring that role from placeholder Cheryl LaFleur. Trump has nominated three other people to FERC so far–Neil Chatterjee, Robert Powelson and Richard Glick. Chatterjee and Powelson are Republicans, Glick is a Chuck Schumer Democrat pick. It is the Democrats–specifically Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who are blocking a final Senate vote so that FERC once again has a quorum. Typical swamp politics from the usual swamp dwellers. As we pointed out last week, energy companies and those who invest in them are sounding the alarm that unless at least two of the four are voted on quickly, to restore a quorum, tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars will disappear (see Lack of FERC Confirmations Now Critical – $25B & 75K Jobs at Risk). Dems don’t care. It’s politics as usual in Swampville. At any rate, here’s the deets on the final Trump nominee for a currently-hobbled FERC…
