Timothy Harleth: Bidens quickly dismisses the chief bailiff of the White House installed by Trump



[ad_1]

Harleth was hired by Melania Trump in 2017 to fill the important role of Chief Bailiff. Harleth came to the White House from the Trump International Hotel DC, where he was in charge of the rooms.

First Lady Jill Biden’s office did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

Harleth replaced Angella Reid, who had been hired during the Obama administration. Reid made history when she accepted the post in 2011 as the first woman to hold the post. She was previously General Manager of the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City, just outside Washington.

She was let go by the Trumps a few months after their takeover of the White House.

The first female bailiff in the history of WH is no longer in office

Chief bailiffs can stay across multiple jurisdictions, but Harleth’s firing came as no surprise to multiple White House sources.

The White House usher is responsible for the management of the building and supervises the staff of the residence. “Construction, maintenance, renovation, food, as well as administrative, fiscal and personnel functions” fall under the responsibilities of the role, according to the Historical Association of the White House.

Reid was the ninth Usher of the White House and the second African American.

The chief bailiff and residence staff are not political posts and it is very unusual for someone to leave at the start of a new administration.

Stephen Rochon, who was the chief bailiff from 2007 to 2011, said Trump’s transition team asked him to come back “to run the house,” but he declined for family reasons.

“It doesn’t matter who is president or which party is in power,” Rochon said. “Permanent staff last an average of 25 years – one staff member has been there for 50 years.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Source link