(NewsInsights.org) – President Joe Biden took the unusual step of firing Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul in July 2021 after Saul ignored the president’s request for his resignation. On Monday, December 18, more than two years later, the Senate confirmed a new SSA commissioner.
The Senate approved former Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD) as the new head of the administration by a 50 to 11 vote. He’ll supplant Kilolo Kijakazi, who filled the role of acting commissioner since Saul’s departure.
Biden faced stiff criticism from lawmakers and outright rebellion from Saul, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, when he signaled he would fire the commissioner. Saul contended he had received a six-year term as the agency’s head from a bipartisan Senate confirmation in 2019. He considered his position “term-protected” and refused to resign, saying the White House had no authority to fire him.
While several GOP lawmakers, including Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) criticized Biden for politicizing the Social Security Administration at the time, Democratic allies like Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) conceded the president needed the ability to shape policy by working with department heads. In fact, in November, Wyden advanced O’Malley’s nomination through the Senate Finance Committee, which he chairs.
Wydon spoke highly of O’Malley’s lifetime of public service and attention to modernization and transparency. He also said the former governor understood better than most the non-partisan nature of the position and the goal of improving customer service.
In addition to serving two terms as Maryland’s governor from 2007 to 2015, O’Malley also served back-to-back terms as Baltimore’s mayor from 1999 to 2007. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 but suspended his campaign after a poor performance in the Iowa referendum.
In his July 26 announcement of his intent to nominate O’Malley, Biden said he felt confident the former governor would “continue to be a strong partner [working] tirelessly to protect Social Security for generations to come.”
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