Obama to Promote Edith Ramirez to Chair FTC

President Obama will promote Federal Trade Commission member Edith Ramirez to chair the agency, a White House official tells Politico, opening the door for a third Democrat to join the commission. Ramirez has been at the FTC since 2010, and "has been instrumental in ensuring there is robust competition and innovation in the high-tech marketplace," the official said. The appointment is subject to Senate approval.

Ramirez is seen as an expert on antitrust and litigation issues; before coming to the FTC she represented clients like Walt Disney, Mattel, and Northrop Grumman on copyright and antitrust issues. She also has significant political ties to Obama, having served as his director of Latino outreach in 2008 and donated money to his campaign in 2012. (More FTC stories.)