Andrew Smith, currently a partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling, is expected to be named the next head of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, according to a published report.
Smith would replace Thomas Pahl, who recently took a job at the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection working under acting director Mick Mulvaney. Pahl had been acting director of the FTC’s consumer protection unit for more than a year. The last full-time director of the unit was Jessica Rich, who left in January 2017.
Smith spent four years — 2001 to 2005 — working as the assistant to the director of the consumer protection unit at the FTC. J. Reilly Dolan is the current acting director now that Pahl has left and will remain there until Smith is confirmed, according to the report. Smith also previously worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission before spending 13 years in private practice.
The report also noted that President Trump has put forth the name of Kelly Slaughter, an aide to Sen. Charles Schumer [D-N.Y.], to replace FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny, who announced her resignation earlier this week.
When McSweeny leaves, there will only be one sitting commissioner at the agency. Five nominations, including that of Jospeh Simons, who has been tapped to be the next chairman of the FTC, are currently awaiting confirmation in the Senate. Current acting chairman Maureen Ohlhausen has also announced her resignation.
