In the ever-controversial landscape of the Trump administration, it seems like the appointments of candidates who are either unqualified or at odds with their departments’ missions are becoming the norm. The roster of such appointments is quite extensive: from Ben Carson, who once admitted he felt unqualified to lead Housing and Urban Development, to Betsy DeVos, who lacks teaching experience yet heads the Education Department, and Rick Perry, who famously sought to eliminate the very agency he now runs. And let’s not overlook Scott Pruitt, a climate change skeptic, running the Environmental Protection Agency.
However, the latest selection may take the cake. Betsy DeVos has tapped attorney Jamie Taylor, whose civil rights law background is less than robust, to serve as the acting head of the Office of Civil Rights. She will oversee a staff of 550, tasked with investigating thousands of civil rights complaints—all without requiring Senate confirmation.
Taylor is perhaps best known for her outspoken opposition to initiatives designed to support students of color and her controversial views on discrimination, which she claims she has faced due to being white. Her disdain for feminism is well-documented, and she’s previously labeled women who accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct as “fake victims.”
Her history includes a personal vendetta against the Clintons, having assisted in bringing Bill Clinton’s accusers to the forefront during a presidential debate. After earning her law degree, she worked with Judicial Watch, a conservative group famous for its relentless lawsuits against the Clintons. She even authored a book in 2005 titled Their Lives: The Women Targeted by the Clinton Machine, where she criticized the liberal agenda for prioritizing women and minorities.
In her writings, Taylor has challenged the effectiveness of current sexual harassment laws, arguing they might lead men to “self-censor” for fear of accusations. Ironically, she will now be responsible for overseeing Title IX and sexual assault cases at educational institutions.
Before the presidential debate, she founded the Their Lives Foundation, proclaiming its mission was to amplify the voices of victims of women in positions of power—though she didn’t specify if this only applied to accusers of Democrats. Taylor has long opposed affirmative action and has even suggested that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was “monstrous.”
Her views on feminism are equally contentious; she believes that women today have the same opportunities as men, and that college women advocating for their rights are actually regressing.
Does this sound like the ideal candidate to lead the Office of Civil Rights? New York Magazine has described her as someone with “two decades of distinguished service to the cause of undermining the office she now heads.” It appears she’s found her place within the Trump administration.
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Summary
In the Trump administration’s latest controversial appointment, Jamie Taylor, who has limited experience in civil rights law and a history of opposing civil rights protections, has been named the acting head of the Office of Civil Rights. This appointment raises concerns about her ability to effectively lead an office dedicated to civil rights issues.