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Lydia DePillis

Lydia DePillis covers trade and the economy at ProPublica.
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How dozens of Trump's political appointees will stay in government after Biden takes over

Burrowing has a history that traces back to civil service reforms of the late 1880s, when Congress passed a law to try to ensure that jobs were awarded on merit rather than patronage. The number of hires sought under Trump is so far roughly similar to the tally of other recent administrations, but the types of positions being converted are more political than in the past