Federal Energy Regulatory Commission nominee David LaCerte came under Democratic scrutiny Thursday over his relative inexperience and views on agency independence.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing for LaCerte and President Donald Trump’s other pending FERC nominee, Laura Swett, but lawmakers were particularly keen to hear from LaCerte.
Swett is an energy attorney who has been a staffer at the regulatory agency. LaCerte is currently a White House adviser on personnel issues. That has raised Democratic worries.
“The commission was established as an independent regulatory commission whose members serve fixed terms, not at the pleasure of the president,” said committee ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). “The commission was designed to serve no president, no political party and no political agenda.”
