HomelandSecurityLeader.com

From FEDagent.com

The Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), is cautioning Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff to be on guard against political appointees “burrowing in” career jobs.

In a letter dated February 7th, Thompson emphasized the need for a “seamless and orderly” transition process from the current Administration to the next one, to protect national security. However, he expressed concerns about recent press accounts that have “raised the specter” that some political appointees have been, or will be, converted into positions formerly occupied by non-political, career civil servants.

Calling it “inappropriate” to fill career non-political executive level positions with political appointees absent an open and fully competitive process, Thompson said he understood that some could argue these political appointees may be well-qualified and able to provide continuity during the transition period. Nonetheless, Thompson continued, others could argue that to permit political appointees to occupy non-political positions could be viewed as “an attempt to insulate political appointees from the vagaries of the political appointment system and provide an internal obstruction to the policies of a new administration.” Such an interpretation is “deeply troubling” he said.

Thompson ended his letter by, among other things, asking Chertoff for his assurance that within the next 60 days, he will issue a policy directive to prohibit the “burrowing in” of political appointees into non-political career positions within DHS.

Click here to view the letter from Thompson to Chertoff.

Reproduced with the permission of FEDagent.com