A strong member of the Federal Commerce Fee has been working her high-profile publish remotely – regardless of President Trump’s calls for that federal workers present as much as the workplace 5 days per week, The Publish has realized.
Melissa Holyoak, a Republican FTC commissioner who was confirmed by the Senate in March 2024, by no means moved to Washington DC and has as a substitute continued to stay in Utah along with her husband and 4 younger youngsters, sources near the state of affairs advised The Publish.
The highest US regulator’s appearances on the FTC’s workplaces at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. — just some blocks down the road from the White Home — have been so rare that they’ve appeared noteworthy once they really occur, the sources stated.
“I would never see her in the office,” one former FTC official advised The Publish. “She would only fly in for the holiday parties.”
That’s regardless of Holyoak being one in every of simply two remaining members on the five-seat panel following Trump’s shock firings of two Democratic commissioners earlier this month. It’s additionally regardless of a clampdown by Elon Musk’s Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE, after the president in January ordered most federal workers to work within the workplace full time or be fired.
“I’ve never heard of a commissioner living on the other side of the country. I think it was a weird situation,” in keeping with a second official who lately left the company.
“Most of the staff expected she was going to move to DC,” the supply added. “This is a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position. For someone at that level to phone it in was surprising.”
The 39-year-old official lately claimed a coveted workplace at FTC headquarters with a balcony, excessive ceilings, an unobstructed view of the Capitol constructing and its personal personal lavatory, sources stated. The workplace was previously occupied by FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson, the opposite remaining commissioner who relocated after his appointment to the highest spot.
“I am honored to serve as a Commissioner for the Trump-Vance FTC, and work alongside my friend, Chairman Andrew Ferguson, and our talented nationwide staff to protect hard-working Americans from fraud, to lower prices for healthcare and other consumer goods, and to rein in Big Tech,” Holyoak stated in an announcement. “The FTC’s work isn’t limited to just Washington, D.C.—the agency has a nationwide remit.”
A supply near Holyoak stated she moved into Ferguson’s previous workplace solely after the Democratic commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, have been fired on March 18.
The supply additionally pushed again on the notion that Holyoak hasn’t spent sufficient time onsite, asserting that she has met extensively, in individual, with personnel in key departments throughout the FTC since she was confirmed in 2024, together with the bureaus of competitors, shopper safety and economics.
“For six out of the last eight weeks, the commissioner has traveled to DC on her own dime and has worked out of DC,” the supply stated. “During the other two weeks, she traveled to two regional offices to meet with staff in person.”
Holyoak has visited 4 of the FTC’s regional workplaces in individual, together with three inside the final two months. She has additionally spoken at 16 completely different occasions within the final two months to “share the Trump-Vance FTC’s priorities and agenda,” the supply added.
Nonetheless, sources insist that Holyoak had little contact with rank-and-file staffers on the FTC that carried out the company’s day-to-day enterprise throughout their time with the company.
Time zone variations and an absence of face time made it “hard to build a connection with her” and sometimes made it “more difficult to engage in the business of the agency,” the second ex-FTC supply added.
Earlier than Trump’s election win, most FTC workers have been required to come back in at the very least twice per pay interval, although many opted to come back in additional typically, sources stated.
Bedoya and Slaughter, the 2 fired Democrat commissioners, have known as the dismissals unlawful and have sued to reverse them.
Holyoak and Ferguson, each Republicans, are named as co-defendants. Mark Meador, who was nominated by Trump to be the third Republican FTC commissioner, is anticipated to be confirmed however he has but to obtain a full Senate vote.
DOGE supplied buyouts to hundreds of thousands of employees who didn’t wish to comply as a part of a broad, Trump-backed effort to chop federal spending and waste. DOGE has additionally clamped down on federal journey budgets, with some exemptions for legislation enforcement and immigration officers.
Holyoak, the previous solicitor basic of Utah, additionally spent 5 years as an lawyer for the Aggressive Enterprise Institute. The suppose tank “advocates abolishing antitrust law” and has drawn funding from Large Tech companies like Google, Meta and Amazon.
Earlier than Ferguson landed the highest gig, Holyoak’s standing as a Republican and lively FTC commissioner positioned her on the de facto shortlist of potential candidates to switch Democrat Lina Khan as company chair earlier this 12 months.
As The Publish reported on the time, a notion that Holyoak was too comfortable on Large Tech hindered her bid.
Since taking on as chair, Ferguson has vowed to proceed a crackdown on Large Tech, together with pursuit of an upcoming antitrust case towards Meta that would end result within the firm’s breakup. Ferguson has additionally backed Trump’s choice to fireside the FTC’s two Democratic commissioners.
