Trump sends nominee to replace Perry at Energy to the Senate

The White House on Thursday sent its nomination for outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s replacement to the Senate. 

Nominee Dan Brouillette currently serves as the deputy secretary at the Department of Energy. 

Perry is expected to leave the department on Dec. 1, exiting under scrutiny for his involvement in the administration’s dealings with Ukraine.

{mosads}Trump’s interactions with Ukraine are the focus of an impeachment inquiry in the House, and Democrats have sought documentation from the Trump Cabinet member about Perry’s involvement in the president’s efforts focused on Ukraine.

Brouillette served in the Energy Department during the George W. Bush administration. He was nominated by Trump to the No. 2 role and easily confirmed by the Senate in a 79-17 vote in August 2017.

He served as an Energy Department assistant secretary between 2001 and 2003 and also worked as chief of staff to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Before joining the Trump administration, Brouillette served as senior vice president and head of public policy for USAA, a financial services firm. He also worked as a vice president at Ford Motor Co. prior to that.

He is not expected to be a particularly controversial nominee given the ease of his first confirmation.

Perry denied in an interview with Fox News on Friday that the Ukraine revelations had anything to do with his decision to step down and said he wants to return to Texas to spend time with his family.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with Ukraine,” Perry said. “For the last eight or nine months, I have been looking back to Texas on a pretty regular basis.”

Perry said he is looking at “going onto the next adventure in life.”