Cunningham Pick as DUSTR. not Welcome says Wyden

Bringing in a longtime confidant and boldface Washington player as point on trade as his campaign kicks off,  President Biden announced his intent to nominate Washington lobbyist Nelson Cunningham as Deputy United States Trade Representative.

Mr. Cunningham co-founded  McLarty Associates in 1998.  Much of his advocacy work over the past 25 years has not been "lobbying" per se, so the public record reveals little of firms and governments represented.  McLarty Associates represents itself as "an elite commercial diplomacy firm."

In 2020, Politico reported McLarty clientele included Chevron and Wal Mart.  In 2021 the principals of McLarty sold out to Ankura Consulting, a private-equity backed legal risk and compliance consulting firm.

Before 1998, Cunningham served in the Clinton White House as Special Advisor to the President on Western Hemisphere affairs and as General Counsel at the White House Office of Administration. He previously served as General Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee, under then-Chairman Joseph R. Biden.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement in response to the announcement. 

“At a time when our country is beset with trade challenges from China and other competitors for jobs and influence in the global economy, the United States needs trade professionals with hands-on trade experience,” Wyden said.

“Experience representing the interests of multinationals is not the same as considering the views of workers in Toledo and small business owners in Medford. While I’m looking forward to fully vetting this nomination and considering how the Finance Committee will proceed, I would like to see candidates with more diverse and representative experience.”

Ambassador Katherine Tai, in India to co-chair the 14^thMinisterial-level meeting of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum, said "I look forward to working with him as USTR continues to advance an inclusive, worker-centered trade agenda that benefits all Americans.”