Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., praised President Obamas picks for chief counsel of the Internal Revenue Service and assistant secretary for financial stability.
Obama named William J. Wilkins (pictured) for the position of chief counsel at the IRS and assistant general counsel in the Treasury Department. He has been a partner in the tax practice group of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
Herbert M. Allison has been appointed to the new job of assistant secretary for financial stability. He will also have the title of counselor to the secretary. Allison was appointed to the job of president, CEO and conservator of troubled housing mortgage giant Fannie Mae last September.
"I am confident in the abilities of these two fine public servants as we work to turn our economy around and give American families the relief they need during these difficult times, said Obama. Under the leadership of [Treasury] Secretary [Timothy] Geithner, they will work to serve the American people and bring their unique areas of expertise to the job as we work to put America on the path to prosperity."
Baucus expressed support for both the high-level assignments. The president makes strong choices in Mr. Allison and Mr. Wilkins, and I'm confident that their contributions will only strengthen Treasurys efforts to stabilize our markets and protect American taxpayers from fraud and abuse as we move toward recovery, he said in a statement.
