Pearce chief of staff lands Interior Department job

Todd Willens, Rep. Steve Pearce’s longtime chief of staff, is leaving Capitol Hill to take a high-ranking job at the Interior Department. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke today announced that he has named Willens assistant deputy secretary of the Interior. In this role, Willens will work closely with yet-to-be-confirmed Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt, Zinke said. The announcement comes on the heels of Pearce’s announcement Monday that he will seek the Republican nomination for governor of New Mexico in 2018 and leave Congress when his current term ends. Before taking the top job in Pearce’s office nine years ago, Willens served as deputy assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior from 2006 to 2008. Willens also served as senior policy adviser for the House Natural Resources Committee from 2003 to 2006...more

For more info on Willens and his nomination go here.