Interior Official Bypasses Senate Rejection with Promotion by Biden Admin

 Laura Daniel-Davis received a significant promotion to acting deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI) from the Biden Administration on October 31, even though the previously nominated career government employee couldn’t pass two Senate confirmation votes to attain the role. GOP senators blocked her because of her past advocacy for far-left climate policies as an operative for the National Wildlife Federation

She replaces Tommy Beaudreau, the outgoing Interior Deputy Secretary, who the Senate confirmed to the position in June 2021 after Daniel-Davis failed two Senate confirmation votes. On January 23, 2023, the White House announced its intention to re-nominate Daniel-Davis for the number two DOI position. However, on March 10, 2023, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENRC), signaled that he would block her nomination from moving forward because he objected to her history of prioritizing environmental over security policy when making energy-related decisions in the DOI.

Daniel-Davis also faces a House investigation led by Reps. James Comer (R-KY) as chair of the House Oversight Committee and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) as chair of the House Natural Resources Committee regarding energy policy decisions she made in her previous position as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management...MORE

Amazing.

Why would Biden nominate her again knowing she was previously rejected by the Senate? It could be that Senator Manchin has announced his intent to not run for re-election. Put her in now as Acting and send her nomination up to be forced over the objections of the weakened current chairman, who eventually voted for her in committee. Or has some closed door agreement been reached to give Manchin something he wants before leaving the Senate in return for his not killing her nomination again? And how would this fit in with his saying "I will be...traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.” There is a rumor that he and Senator Romney may just be pursuing that.

Manchin's announcement and Biden's renomination, being so close together raises some red flags for me.

What else does this tell us?

It tells me she must be an intelligent, well organized and highly efficient individual. In other words a person who knows her way aroud Interior and can get things done. If she was a typical, run-of-the-mill appointee, I don't think the pro development types would be in such a tizzy.