President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Aaron Reitz to serve as head of the Justice Department Office of Legal Policy and Chad Mizelle as chief of staff at the Justice Department, according to two Dec. 21 Truth Social posts.
Here are seven things to know:
Justice Department head of the Office of Legal Policy pick: Aaron Reitz
1. The Office of Legal Policy, currently led by Susan Davies, creates and implements major Justice Department policy initiatives, advises the attorney general and deputy attorney general, coordinates with other executive branch agencies and manages projects with multiple components. It oversees regulations at the department, manages the judicial nomination and confirmation process with the Senate and White House and assists with federal judicial nominations. The OLP also supports artificial intelligence and cybersecurity initiatives through its growing technology team, according to the Justice Department's website.
2. Mr. Reitz would work with Mr. Trump's attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, to create and implement the Justice Department's "battle plans" to advance Mr. Trump's "law and order agenda, and restore integrity to our justice system," Mr. Trump said in the post.
3. Mr. Reitz currently serves as chief of staff to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and previously served as deputy for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He earned a bachelor's degree from College Station-based Texas A&M University and his Juris Doctor degree from Austin-based University of Texas Law School, according to his LinkedIn page.
4. "Proud to have earned President Trump’s nomination and honored to serve under Attorney General Pam Bondi," Mr. Reitz said in a Dec. 22 LinkedIn post. "Making America Great Again requires a total commitment to the Constitution, the rule of law, and justice. [The] DOJ is at the tip of that spear. We're going to make it happen."
Justice Department chief of staff pick: Chad Mizelle
1. As Justice Department chief of staff, Mr. Mizelle will work closely with Ms. Bondi.
2. Mr. Mizelle earned bachelor's degree from Gainesville-based University of Florida and his Juris Doctor degree from Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cornell Law School, according to his LinkedIn page.
3. Mr. Mizelle served as general counsel and chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security under Mr. Trump's first term as president. He also served as counsel to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Politico reported Dec. 21.
"Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity and justice back to the DOJ," Mr. Trump said.