Sam Clovis was the first of President Trump’s nominees to withdraw from consideration after he was among the names of President Trump’s campaign officials involved with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. Clovis cited that he did not want to be a “distraction or negative influence” for the Administration and argues he has not received “balanced and fair consideration” for his nomination. President Trump chose Clovis to serve as chief scientist at the Department of Agriculture and his choice was met with immediate backlash from Democrats and environmental groups. Clovis is a former conservative talk show radio host and his critics argued he did not meet the position’s criteria for “specialized training or significant experience in agricultural research, education, and economics.”
Democrats lamented prior comments made by Clovis referring to climate change as “junk science,” in addition to controversial comments on race and homosexuality. Mr. Clovis was drawn further into controversy this week when George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign official, plead guilty to misleading FBI agents about a series of meetings he took with Russia-linked individuals during the 2016 election. Court documents reveal Papadopoulos exchanging emails with Clovis where they discuss meetings with Russian officials. Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee immediately submitted inquiries to Clovis regarding his relationship with Papadopoulos and possible Russian connections during the campaign but, rather than continue an already drawn out process, Clovis withdrew his nomination as chief scientist at USDA.