CONFLICT OF INTEREST/LABOR/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the independent agency tasked with adjudicating mine safety cases is a lawyer who has defended coal companies with safety violations. Marco Rajkovich was nominated in January to chair the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, an independent board responsible for deciding cases under the Mine Act of 1977.
Prior to his nomination, Rajkovich worked in Kentucky representing coal companies and argued cases before the commission he is nominated to serve on, according to his online biography. A CNN review has shed new light on Rajkovich’s work on behalf of the mining industry, including his representation of a company accused violating code by trying to thwart federal inspections… Rajkovich has not responded to CNN’s requests for comment. A spokeswoman for the Labor Department declined to answer questions about Rajkovich, saying those ‘should be directed to him.’ Rajkovich’s nomination is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate labor committee.”
-Sara Ganim and Gregory Wallace, “Trump nominee to oversee mine safety cases is lawyer who defended coal companies,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Feb. 7, 2018 07:03pm