Donald Trump to Name Nikki Haley as UN Ambassador, Lobbying Ban Could Make Corruption Worse and More

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday, making her the first non-white male named to his team thus far.

Haley, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants, has already carved out a legacy for herself, serving as her home state's first female and first minority governor and was reportedly also being considered by the president-elect for secretary of state.

Haley also represents the first person named to the Trump administration who outright attacked him during the 2016 election season, showing that Trump can let bygones be bygones. At one point, Haley said Trump represents "everything a governor doesn't want in a president."

As governor, Haley has been critical of the GOP, saying, "I want someone who is going to hold Republicans accountable, and I want someone who is going to make a difference, not just for our party but for every person they represent in the country," noting that she did not think Trump was that person.

Haley later changed her stance, saying that she would vote for Trump, even though she was "not a fan."

Top Stories

Trump Taps Nikki Haley to Be UN Ambassador: "President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday is expected to announce that he has chosen South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to be his ambassador to the United Nations, a source familiar with the decision confirmed." (Politico)

Trump, in Interview, Moderates Views but Defies Conventions: "President-elect Donald J. Trump on Tuesday tempered some of his most extreme campaign promises, dropping his vow to jail Hillary Clinton, expressing doubt about the value of torturing terrorism suspects and pledging to have an open mind about climate change. But in a wide-ranging hourlong interview with reporters and editors at The New York Times — which was scheduled, canceled and then reinstated after a dispute over the ground rules — Mr. Trump was unapologetic about flouting some of the traditional ethical and political conventions that have long shaped the American presidency." (The New York Times)

Trump Gets to Pick His Own Auditor: "President-elect Donald Trump will soon be able to appoint a new director of the agency auditing his taxes, a potential political minefield after his writeoffs and his refusal to release his returns were repeatedly questioned in the campaign. The president is barred from directing how the IRS treats specific taxpayers, but lawyers say there’s nothing to stop Trump from appointing an IRS chief who will go easy on him while scrutinizing his political enemies." (Politico)

Trump’s Lobbying Ban Might Actually Make Corruption Worse: "Although such proposals are appealing and popular across the aisle, our analysis of previous efforts to reduce the influence of special interests suggests that Trump’s plan would make the problem worse. Instead of limiting the role of lobbyists, his efforts would push lobbying further into the shadows and out of public view. Meaningful change — not “fake reform” — requires a different set of solutions, including improvements to the lobbying disclosure system and building up the institutional capacity of Congress." (The Washington Post)

From the Twitterverse

Ellen DeGeneres' great day:

Today's Numbers

• Leaks on the iPhone 8 reveal some groundbreaking features.
• Hillary Clinton's lead in the popular vote surpasses 2 million.
• Texas judge blocks mandatory overtime pay for 4 million Americans.
• Who are the 26 percent of Americans who say they haven't read a book in the last year?

Quote of the Day

Sen. Bernie Sanders on a Trump administration:

“No, I would not say that there’s any silver lining in Trump’s victory. It is scary, and I think there are many, many people throughout this country who are very frightened about what will happen over the next four years. So I don’t see any silver lining.”

Allen McDuffee is a politics and policy reporter, investigative journalist, blogger and podcast host. He has written for The Atlantic, Wired and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter: @AllenMcDuffee

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr Commons