Biden taps ex-House Democratic campaign chief Patrick Maloney for OECD ambassador

President Biden plans to nominate former House Democratic campaign chief, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), for representative of the United States to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Maloney lost his seat as the House flipped to GOP control last year, while he was the helm of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Biden’s nomination announced on Friday would give Maloney the rank of ambassador on behalf of the U.S. at the Paris-based OECD, which is an intergovernmental organization made up of more than 30 democracies with market-based economies.

Maloney would replace current ambassador, former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D), who was nominated on Friday to serve as ambassador to Italy. Both Maloney and Markell’s nominations will require Senate confirmation.

Biden noted in a statement that Maloney chaired both the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and the House Agriculture Committee’s Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee.

Before Congress, he served as former President Clinton’s White House staff secretary, helped found a financial services software company and worked as a partner at two global law firms, Biden noted.

Maloney was the first openly LGBTQ person ever elected to Congress from New York and, having been elected to House leadership in 2020, is the highest ranking openly LGBTQ person to serve in the House.

His name was floated by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for secretary of Labor when Marty Walsh first announced he was stepping down and before current nominee Julie Su was named. Pelosi at the time said she would love to see Maloney in public service, adding that it’s up to the White House if that means Labor secretary or another spot.