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New Law Needed for Trump’s Defense Pick

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“Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis has emerged as President-elect Donald Trump’s leading candidate to be defense secretary, people familiar with the transition said Tuesday, but the choice would require Congress to pass a special law clearing the way for a recently retired military officer to take the Pentagon’s top civilian post,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The law would be required because the former top officer has been out of the military only 3½ years. U.S. laws designed to ensure civilian control over the military require a time period of seven years.”

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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