Sen. Collins Forms Federal Appointments Advisory Committee

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins recently established a committee known as the “Federal Appointments Advisory Committee” to evaluate candidates for Senate-confirmed positions in Maine. As the senior Republican member of Maine’s congressional delegation, Senator Collins will advise the Trump Administration as it selects candidates for federal positions in the state. The Committee’s recommendations will be an integral part of that process. 

The eight-member committee is chaired by Josh Tardy of Newport, a practicing attorney who chaired the Trump - Pence campaign in Maine and who is the former Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives. Steve Abbott, Senator Collins’ Chief of Staff, is serving as her liaison to the Committee. The rest of the Committee is comprised of community leaders and experienced attorneys from across the state.

The Committee is currently assessing the qualifications of dozens of interested applicants for U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal for Maine. It will also consider nominations for the USDA Farm Service Agency State Director and the USDA Rural Development State Director, as well as any federal judicial vacancies in the state.

The members of the Federal Appointments Advisory Committee are:

• Josh Tardy, Committee Chair (Newport) – Attorney, Irwin, Tardy & Morris; Former Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives; Chair of Trump Campaign in Maine;

• Mark Brooks (Hartland) — Lieutenant, Maine State Police (23 years of service); Colonel in the U.S. Army reserve (more than 30 years of combined service in US Army and U.S. Army Reserve);

• Cathy Goodwin (Eliot) — Former State Office Representative, U.S. Senator Susan Collins’ York County Office; Former Director of the York County Chamber of Commerce;

• Sarah Newell (Winterport) — Attorney, Eaton Peabody;

• Matt Manahan (Cumberland) — Attorney, Pierce Atwood;

• Melissa Simones (Greene) — Policy Director, Maine State Senate President’s Office;

• Rick Solman (Caribou) — Attorney, Solman and Hunter; and

• Steve Abbott (Portland) — Chief of Staff, Office of U.S. Senator Susan Collins.