Pentagon clears out advisory boards, citing concerns over last-minute Trump picks
The move affects both Trump loyalists and others named by earlier administrations.
Feb. 2, 2021, 6:52 PM EST
By Dan De Luce
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has dismissed every member of the Pentagon’s advisory boards in a sweeping move fueled by concern that the Trump administration had rushed through a series of last-minute appointments, Pentagon officials said Tuesday.
The move affects several hundred board members who sit on about 40 advisory boards, including dozens of people who had been named to the posts in the closing days of former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
Among those dismissed are highly partisan figures such as Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign manager, David Bossie, a former Trump deputy campaign manager, former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich and retired Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata. But instead of singling out Trump appointees, the move applies to all board members, including those appointed before the Trump presidency.
“I am directing the immediate suspension of all advisory committee operations until the review is completed unless otherwise directed by myself or the deputy secretary of defense,” Austin said in a memo released Tuesday.
more:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/pentagon-clears-out-advisory-boards-citing-concerns-over-last-minute-n1256550?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR0A34hq-57iekmPMung8iUZxDfrJqt-ysTKRXflXwpOLXIHLDCpce-KDoU
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