The Trump administration plans to appoint the FTC chairman to head a new anti-fraud division within the Justice Department.
TL;DR
The Trump administration plans to appoint FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson to lead a new Justice Department anti-fraud division, while he remains FTC chairman, raising questions about legal conflicts and blurred lines between the president and Justice Department.
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According to sources familiar with the matter, Trump administration officials are considering appointing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson to head a newly created Justice Department division tasked with combating nationwide fraud. Ferguson will remain as FTC chairman. Vice President Vance stated last Odaily that the division will be overseen by the White House and will have "nationwide jurisdiction over fraud issues." Vance also indicated that the Justice Department will create a new Assistant Attorney General position to lead related fraud investigations. This structure will blur the traditional lines between the president and the Justice Department, which already has several divisions dedicated to criminal and civil fraud investigations. The law also explicitly prohibits commissioners from "engaging in any other business, profession, or employment relationship." It is unclear whether this provision will affect Ferguson's appointment to the new role.