Obama nominates GOP Senate aide for seat on Commodities Futures Trading Commission

Obama picks GOP Senate aide for CFTC commission

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has chosen a Republican Senate aide for a seat on the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

The White House announced Scott O’Malia’s nomination on Thursday.

O’Malia is currently minority clerk for the Senate Appropriations’ energy and water development subcommittee, where he has focused on expanding U.S. investment in clean energy technologies. It’s an issue Obama has promoted as president.

The nomination requires Senate confirmation.

The CFTC is an independent federal agency whose five commissioners regulate commodity futures and option markets in the United States.