Hillary Clinton has officially begun planning her transition to the White House. On Wednesday, the Democratic presidential nominee tapped campaign chairman John Podesta and trusted advisor Minyon Moore to head up her transition team; they will serve as president and secretary, respectively.
Clinton has also established a new non-profit organization, the Clinton-Kaine Transition Fund, according to paperwork filed with the District of Columbia and obtained by the Associated Press. The Fund will be responsible for preparing for the possibility of a (second) Clinton presidency between now and election day. Podesta, Moore, et al. will focus on developing lists of prospective cabinet and other appointees, as well as expanding campaign proposals to create a policy roadmap for her potential administration.
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough announced Friday that the Clinton and Trump campaigns were eligible to begin receiving intelligence briefings. Typically, a sitting president’s administration will help major party nominees prepare for their transitions during the last few months of the election cycle. Accordingly, Clinton has begun sending policy aides to White House meetings.
Donald Trump selected New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to lead his transition team in May. On Wednesday, his campaign tapped John Rader, a senior aid to Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, to be deputy director for presidential appointments for the transition team, where he will be working under Republican heavyweight William Hagerty.
As Talking Points Memo notes, “Bipartisan legislation signed in 2010 requires the government to provide office space, computers and technological support for both candidates.” Mitt Romney was the first candidate to take advantage of the new law, during his 2012 presidential run.
(Via Talking Points Memo)