Trombino third Iowan to see bid for federal post halted

With his decision to withdraw from consideration as nominee to be administrator to the Federal Highway Administration, former Iowa Department of Transportation Director Paul Trombino III has become the third Iowan in recent weeks to see his hopes of reaching a key federal position stalled or dashed.

Citing family reasons, Trombino, who served as director of the Iowa DOT for about five years, withdrew his name as nominee to the FHA, which is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation.

A department representative on Monday confirmed Trombino's withdrawal.

He was nominated to the post in September by President Donald Trump.

During the early stages of his nomination process, Trombino drew praise from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, for his work with the Iowa DOT and potential as head of the Federal Highway Administration.

'Gov. Reynolds has great respect for Paul Trombino and is thankful for all he did as director of the Iowa Department of Transportation,” Reynolds' spokeswoman Brenna Smith said in a Tuesday email. 'Family comes first, and the governor understands Paul wants to spend time with his father.”

'While Paul Trombino would have been a strong leader at the Federal Highway Administration, I respect his decision to do what he determined was best for him and his family,” said Ernst, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which oversees the FHA.

Trombino did not return calls seeking comment.

Trombino's nomination had cleared the committee in October.

About one month ago, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, confirmed that he would hold up the nomination of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to serve as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Cruz said he would do so until he had a discussion with the president on the Renewable Fuel Standard.

A U.S. Senate committee approved Northey's nomination, but it has yet to reach the Senate floor.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said last month in a conference call with Iowa reporters that Northey's nomination was a priority.

According to Grassley, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said there were two lists of priorities, one for judges and one for sub-cabinet people. Northey would be moved to the top of the list for sub-cabinet people, Grassley said.

'Since there is nothing about Northey himself that is a problem, I would think it would be easy to get 60 votes,” Grassley said.

While Northey finds his nomination on hold, Trump campaign aide Sam Clovis, who had served as Donald Trump's national campaign co-chairman, last month withdrew his nomination to become the USDA's chief scientist.

His announcement was made after he was linked to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential race.

Clovis, a Northwest Iowan, former Morningside College professor and Sioux City radio talk show host, wrote in his announcement that he wished to remain in his current position as a White House adviser to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Mueller's investigation found that Clovis was aware that another campaign aide attempted to meet with Kremlin officials claiming to have 'dirt” on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Terry Branstad, then governor of Iowa, was a recent exception. He was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to China this past May.

Gazette reporter James Lynch contributed to this article.

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