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Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individual to Key Administration Post; February 3, 2020
NOMINATIONS & APPOINTMENTS
President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individual to Key Administration Post
Issued on: February 3, 2020
Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key position in his Administration:
Craig Edward Leen of the District of Columbia to be the Inspector General at the Office of Personnel Management.
Craig E. Leen presently serves as the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at the United States Department of Labor, where he oversees audits of Federal contractors and ensures compliance with Federal civil rights requirements. He also serves on the Special Education Advisory Board for District of Columbia Public Schools, as a professorial lecturer in law at the George Washington University Law School, and previously served on the constituency board for the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. Prior to his work at OFCCP, Mr. Leen was the City Attorney of Coral Gables, Florida, where he served as chief ethics officer, oversaw city prosecutions and the city prosecutor, oversaw reviews and investigations as directed by the City Commission, and provided legal opinions and guidance on behalf of the city to public officials and stakeholders to assist in compliance with law. He is also known for his work helping establish a comprehensive disability inclusion program at the City of Coral Gables. Mr. Leen received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and his B.A from Georgetown University.
President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individual to Key Administration Post
Issued on: February 3, 2020
Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key position in his Administration:
Craig Edward Leen of the District of Columbia to be the Inspector General at the Office of Personnel Management.
Craig E. Leen presently serves as the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at the United States Department of Labor, where he oversees audits of Federal contractors and ensures compliance with Federal civil rights requirements. He also serves on the Special Education Advisory Board for District of Columbia Public Schools, as a professorial lecturer in law at the George Washington University Law School, and previously served on the constituency board for the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. Prior to his work at OFCCP, Mr. Leen was the City Attorney of Coral Gables, Florida, where he served as chief ethics officer, oversaw city prosecutions and the city prosecutor, oversaw reviews and investigations as directed by the City Commission, and provided legal opinions and guidance on behalf of the city to public officials and stakeholders to assist in compliance with law. He is also known for his work helping establish a comprehensive disability inclusion program at the City of Coral Gables. Mr. Leen received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and his B.A from Georgetown University.
POLITICS >
Labor Department to Contractors: Feel Free to Discriminate
DOL official Craig Leen
A new memo urges those enforcing antidiscrimination orders to take a contractor's religious beliefs into account.
BY TRUDY RING
AUGUST 14 2018 2:58 PM EDT
A new Department of Labor memo encourages discrimination by federal contractors against LGBTQ people and others who offend a contractor’s religious beliefs.
The memo, issued Friday, is aimed at undermining President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive order stipulating that companies and nonprofits doing business with the federal government avoid discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Signed by Craig E. Leen, acting director of the DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the memo instructs personnel in the office to take into account the recent Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling when enforcing the executive order. In the ruling, the Supreme Court found in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The court said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown insufficient respect for the baker’s religion in finding that he violated the state’s antidiscrimination law — but also affirmed the importance of protecting the rights of LGBTQ people.
The DOL directive emphasizes the need to protect an employer’s religious beliefs rather than LGBTQ rights, however. Quoting the Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling and other recent court decisions, such as that in the Hobby Lobby case regarding contraceptive coverage, it advises compliance program staff that they "cannot act in a manner that passes judgment upon or presupposes the illegitimacy of religious beliefs and practices" and must "proceed in a manner neutral toward and tolerant of ... religious beliefs" and not "condition the availability of [opportunities] upon a recipient's willingness to surrender his [or her] religiously impelled status." It also says that religious exemptions apply to closely held for-profit companies as well as nonprofit organizations.
{snip}
Labor Department to Contractors: Feel Free to Discriminate
DOL official Craig Leen
A new memo urges those enforcing antidiscrimination orders to take a contractor's religious beliefs into account.
BY TRUDY RING
AUGUST 14 2018 2:58 PM EDT
A new Department of Labor memo encourages discrimination by federal contractors against LGBTQ people and others who offend a contractor’s religious beliefs.
The memo, issued Friday, is aimed at undermining President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive order stipulating that companies and nonprofits doing business with the federal government avoid discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Signed by Craig E. Leen, acting director of the DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the memo instructs personnel in the office to take into account the recent Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling when enforcing the executive order. In the ruling, the Supreme Court found in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The court said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown insufficient respect for the baker’s religion in finding that he violated the state’s antidiscrimination law — but also affirmed the importance of protecting the rights of LGBTQ people.
The DOL directive emphasizes the need to protect an employer’s religious beliefs rather than LGBTQ rights, however. Quoting the Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling and other recent court decisions, such as that in the Hobby Lobby case regarding contraceptive coverage, it advises compliance program staff that they "cannot act in a manner that passes judgment upon or presupposes the illegitimacy of religious beliefs and practices" and must "proceed in a manner neutral toward and tolerant of ... religious beliefs" and not "condition the availability of [opportunities] upon a recipient's willingness to surrender his [or her] religiously impelled status." It also says that religious exemptions apply to closely held for-profit companies as well as nonprofit organizations.
{snip}
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