Social Security Announces Surprising Personnel Changes
On the same day President Joe Biden was sworn into office Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul issued a press release announcing a surprising departure and equally surprising additions to the Social Security team. Below is a portion of the release that details the changes.
In the Office of the Commissioner, I am pleased to welcome Scott Frey back to the agency as the Chief of Staff. Scott previously served as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) for Legislation and Congressional Affairs from April 2010 through August 2014, demonstrating his commitment to our programs and agency. Most recently, he has been the Counselor to the President of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. He will be a significant asset to my team.
In the Office of Retirement and Disability Policy (ORDP), DC Mark Warshawsky has announced his departure, effective today. I thank Mark for his many contributions, creativity, and commitment to the agency and the public we serve. Kilolo Kijakazi will be the DC, ORDP. Kilolo brings a wealth of experience in social insurance policy. Most recently, she was a Fellow with the Urban Institute, where she developed collaborative partnerships to broaden and strengthen the Institute’s research agenda.
The outgoing Warshawsky is “a veteran of conservative think tanks like the Mercatus Center and the American Enterprise Institute,” as this story from the Government Executive points out. It seems Warshawsky has a log in common with Saul, who has battled with Social Security unions and who was appointed by Donald Trump. His departure and the announcement that he is being replaced by Kijakazi, who was a fellow at the left-leaning Urban Institute, seems to be a shift Saul is making in an effort to stay on as commissioner. Additionally, naming Frey as his new chief of staff is as surprising. Frey was a counselor and supporters of unions and the Social Security unions have been at odds with Saul and have called for him to be replaced.
The Biden Administration has been quiet about whether the President wants to replace Saul, but he has allowed him to be the “acting” head of Social Security even though he has four years remaining in his term as Social Security commissioner.
