As Administrations change, there's a practice known as "burrowing" in the civil service whereby political appointees end up in career Federal positions, protected by civil service laws. The rotten regime of would-be dictator Donald "Mango Mussolini" Trump is no exception, with dozens of political appointees burrowing, presenting a ticking time bomb for President-elect Biden as he staffs up. What makes this situation different is that the Trumpists political types are among the least competent and most zealously loyal to Dear Leader Trump. From ProPublica:
"Although the incoming Biden administration has not yet addressed the issue, the party coming into the White House typically expresses concern when members of the previous administration embed themselves within agencies, where they can slow implementation of the new president’s priorities."
The article goes on to list numerous examples of confirmed Trump cultists who are burrowing into civil service positions at such diverse agencies as Homeland Security, Energy, and Interior, but now with permanent employment status. Although they will lack the authority of political appointees, the damage they could cause to the Biden Administration could be significant in terms of delay, leaks and other forms of sabotage.
There is some control to be exercised in reviews by Congress through the Government Accountability Office, which reviews conversions and can rule against them if the person is clearly unqualified. The executive branch's Office of Personnel Management is required to provide lists of political appointees recommended for permanent slots to Congress. It would be wise for the Biden team to look closely at the process, given that this transition is essentially a hostile takeover, and another opportunity for Trump and Co. to salt the earth for Biden.
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