Former Agriculture Department Official Interested in Filling FTC Democratic Seat

Lillian Salerno, a former Department of Agriculture deputy undersecretary, told us she's interested in being an FTC commissioner if nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but added Tuesday: "I have no idea if I'm being considered." Reuters reported Monday that Salerno is under consideration to fill the empty Democratic seat. Currently, the five-member commission has two members, acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen, a Republican, and Commissioner Terrell McSweeny, a Democrat. Two of the empty seats will likely be filled by Republicans while the other seat should be filled by a Democrat or independent. "I'm a 100 percent confident that if I was given the opportunity ... I would certainly try to protect consumers and particularly small business and ordinary citizens" from abuses involving people's private communications and lack of competition, said Salerno. The Texas resident, who worked in Agriculture's rural development program for five years, said she informed Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both Republicans, about her interest in being on the FTC but hasn't forwarded her name to the White House, nor has the Trump administration contacted her. She also said she hasn't been contacted by the Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The Intercept reported Friday that Schumer wants his former chief of staff, David Hantman, to fill the FTC seat. Before setting up his own public policy firm, Hantman was Airbnb's head of global public policy for three years, after a nearly six-year stint as Yahoo vice president-global public policy. Neither Schumer's office nor the White House commented. Republican Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has been floated as a possible nominee to head the commission.