Sen. Warren to oppose Obama pick for Treasury undersecretary
Sen. Elizabeth Warren plans to oppose President Barack Obama’s nomination of Antonio Weiss, a Wall Street investment banker, to be Treasury Undersecretary for Domestic Finance, another sharp-elbowed move by the progressive movement’s most prominent leader.
Can’t imagine what she would find objectionable to yet another Wall Streeter running the government…
Weiss, head of global investment banking at Lazard, is widely respected on Wall Street. But he advised on Burger King’s acquisition of Canadian doughnut chain Tim Horton’s, a so-called “tax inversion deal.”
And look who she’s holding hands with over this:
A Warren adviser told POLITICO: “She is a no on Antonio Weiss. She was a Treasury official herself, she cares a lot about who is in the domestic finance role. It oversees Dodd-Frank implementation and other core economic policy-making.”
The adviser added that Warren “agrees with Senator Grassley that his past work with corporate inversions is a major issue, and she’s had growing concerns with the Administration being loaded with so many appointees from Wall Street rather than more people who would bring different perspectives.”
And this is rich (pun intended):
Wall Street executives were thrilled with Weiss’ nomination, viewing him as a talented banker who could help the administration better understand how markets might react to various proposals.
And with recommendation, who could possibly have any doubts:
And Gene Sperling, former director of the National Economic Council in the Obama White House said Weiss “is someone who not only combines a progressive heart for helping workers and those most in need with hard-headed business experience, but also has the background and antenna necessary to ensure that policies concerning high-finance on Wall Street are both designed and implemented to work for small businesses and working families on Main Street.”
Gene Sperling, indeed.
Anyway, he’s probably in like Flynn with most of the rest of the Senators on both sides eying their campaign war chests and post-Senatorial careers.
