US: Trump nominates Maureen Ohlhausen to judgeship

Maureen Ohlhausen, the acting chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who has staked out conservative policies on intellectual property, mergers and other issues while at the agency, was nominated Tuesday, January 23,  for a federal judgeship on the US Court of Federal Claims.

Ohlhausen said she was “honored” by the planned nomination to the US Court of Federal Claims, where companies and people bring complaints against the US government.

“I will continue to serve at the Federal Trade Commission until a time when I may be so fortunate as to be confirmed to the Court of Federal Claims,” she said in a statement.

Trump said in October he intended to nominate Washington antitrust lawyer Joseph Simons, a Republican, to replace Ohlhausen as head of the FTC.

“We expect the Senate to have his official nomination very soon and to confirm him swiftly,” Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said in a statement.

The agency has had just two commissioners for the past year. The FTC has five seats, and no more than three can be from the same party. In line to be confirmed by the Senate as Chairman is Joseph Simons, and as Commissioners Noah Phillips, a Republican, and Rohit Chopra, a Democrat.

Full Content: IPWhatchdog

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