Nominee Lina Khan, if confirmed, would fill one vacancy on the FTC. The U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Rohit Chopra, who also serves on the FTC, as CFPB director is pending.
3/23/2021 11:30
President Joe Biden announced a new nominee to serve on the Federal Trade Commission this week.
His nominee, Lina Khan, is an associate professor of law at Columbia Law School. Khan was also a legal advisor in the office of Commissioner Rohit Chopra at the FTC, according to the announcement from The White House.
The FTC has five commissioners, including the chair, and there is currently one vacancy.
Biden’s nomination for Chopra as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is pending in the U.S. Senate.
If he is confirmed, that would create another vacancy on the FTC.
Earlier this month, the Senate Committee on Housing, Banking and Urban Affairs voted 12-12 on Chopra’s nomination to lead the CFPB, ACA International previously reported.
Chopra would also need to resign from the FTC if he is confirmed by the Senate, Alan Kaplinsky, partner at Ballard Spahr, reports. Chopra and Acting FTC Chair Rebecca Slaughter are the two Democratic commissioners on the FTC. Noah Phillips and Christine Wilson are Republicans.
Former FTC Chair Joseph Simons resigned in January, which Kaplinsky reports means there may be a delay in Chopra’s confirmation until that spot can be filled with a Democrat nominee from Biden. If Simons’ seat is not filled before Chopra resigns, the Republicans on the FTC would have a 2-1 majority.