Biden to Name First Cabinet Picks on Tuesday Amid Transition Roadblocks
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's top aide said the former vice president would name his first cabinet picks on Tuesday.
Biden's pick to be White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain made the statement in an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.
When asked by Stephanopoulos if Biden had already picked someone for the Treasury or State Departments, Klain could only say that Cabinet appointments could be announced this week.
Klain also said the pace at which Biden picked people for his Cabinet beats the pace set by the Obama-Biden transition, said a Breitbart report.
"If you want to know what cabinet agencies they are, who's going to be in those cabinet agencies, you'll have to wait for the president-elect to say that himself on Tuesday," said Klain.
Biden has yet to be officially announced as the president-elect. But projections from major news organizations showed that Biden already gained 270 electoral votes to snatch a presidential win.
Read also: Fact Check: Did Joe Biden Really Come to a Maskless Birthday Celebration in 2020?
President Donald Trump still refuses to concede the election, and instead, his camp filed lawsuit after lawsuit in different battleground states in the country.
Klain's appointment was announced last week.
Biden Seeks 'Diversity of Voices' in Potential Cabinet
According to Daily Wire, Biden already picked someone to lead the Treasury Department but would not reveal the name.
People who are likely to take this post include Janet Yellen, former chair of the Federal Reserve, and economist Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Whoever Biden picks, they will be the first woman to serve as Treasury Secretary, CNBC reported.
Another one is Roger Ferguson, who may be the first Black person to hold the office.
Biden said whoever he picks for the position will be "accepted by all elements of the Democratic Party." But the staffing decisions may face some criticism as he considers both the Republican-controlled Senate and his party's progressive base.
According to Jennifer Psaki, a senior adviser to the transition team, Biden wants to see a "diversity of voices" at the Cabinet.
When asked if the Biden Cabinet may be more progressive than former President Barack Obama's first one, Psaki said the Biden team would "look like America" in terms of diversity and background.
Biden Team Moves Forward with Inauguration Plans
While the Trump campaign is still questioning the election results, the Biden team moves forward with plans for inauguration in Washington. But it is a very different process from the ones before.
Read also: Trump Campaign 'Thankful' to Judge Who Dismissed Pennsylvania Lawsuit
Klain noted that it would "definitely" change this year. The Biden team had started consulting with leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate.
"Obviously this is not going to be the same kind of inauguration we've had in the past," Klain said.
He urged the General Services Administration (GSA) to ascertain Biden as the president-elect so that they can move forward with transition work.
He said without ascertainment from the GSA, the Biden team cannot run background checks on Cabinet nominees.
"And so there are definite impacts. Those impacts escalate every day and I hope that the administrator of the GSA will do her job," Klain added.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!