White House officials in charge of screening nominees for key posts worried that Robert Lighthizer, President Trump’s selection for U.S. trade representative, had donated to Democrats and was a corporate lobbyist, according to leaked vetting documents. Trump officials worried that those ties could cost Lighthizer support in the Senate, which had to approve his nomination.
“While historically a Republican, Lighthizer has at times supported Democrats and has donated to certain Democratic office-holders, such as [Rep.] Sander Levin and [Sen.] Ben Cardin,” read the documents, obtained by Axios. “Lighthizer’s employer, Skadden Arps, has donated millions to Democrat-affiliated groups in recent years.”
The notes appeared under category titled “political vulnerabilities.”
Lighthizer has had a long career in trade policy, having served as a deputy U.S. trade representative for the Reagan administration in the 1980s. He alternated between public and private sector work in the decades since then and became an advocate of the argument that the U.S. was getting taken advantage of by its trade partners. The document raised concerns that the nominee might face opposition from free-trade Republicans.
“Lighthizer has the reputations ‘The most protectionist guy in Washington’ when it comes to U.S. trade policy,” the document said. “Lighthizer has suggested that Republicans who support modern day ‘free trade’ lack a proper conservative ideology.”
Administration officials also said Lighthizer’s corporate lobbying was a potential “red flag.” A particular emphasis was placed on his having done work for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of American. The pharmaceutical industry has often been a subject of controversy, particularly on trade policy because of the issue of reimporting cheaper drugs from countries such as Canada.
His nomination ultimately proved to uncontroversial. Lighthizer was unanimously approved by the Senate Finance Committee in April 2017, and by a 82-14 vote in the Senate the following month.
Little in the document indicates that these red flags were serous concerns for the administration itself beyond whether they would complicate Lighthizer’s confirmation. The document notes no other particular controversies for Lighthizer and that he had no criminal record. It notes also that Lighthizer wrote an op-ed in 2011 praising Trump’s trade policies.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
