Exclusive | FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak – Business News
A robust member of the Federal Trade Commission has been working her high-profile post remotely – regardless of President Trump’s calls for that federal staff show up to the workplace 5 days a week, The Post has realized.
Melissa Holyoak, a Republican FTC commissioner who was confirmed by the Senate in March 2024, by no means moved to Washington DC and has as a substitute continued to dwell in Utah together with her husband and 4 younger youngsters, sources close to the scenario instructed The Post.
The high US regulator’s appearances on the FTC’s places of work at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. — simply a few blocks down the road from the White House — have been so rare that they’ve appeared noteworthy after they truly occur, the sources mentioned.
“I would never see her in the office,” one former FTC official instructed The Post. “She would only fly in for the holiday parties.”
FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak (middle) lives in Utah. AP
That’s regardless of Holyoak being one of simply two remaining members on the five-seat panel following Trump’s shock firings of two Democratic commissioners earlier this month. It’s additionally regardless of a clampdown by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, after the president in January ordered most federal staff to work within the workplace full time or be fired.
“I’ve never heard of a commissioner living on the other side of the country. I think it was a weird situation,” in line with a second official who just lately left the company.
“Most of the staff expected she was going to move to DC,” the source added. “This is a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position. For someone at that level to phone it in was surprising.”
The 39-year-old official just lately claimed a coveted workplace at FTC headquarters with a balcony, high ceilings, an unobstructed view of the Capitol building and its own personal rest room, sources mentioned. The workplace was previously occupied by FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson, the opposite remaining commissioner who relocated after his appointment to the highest spot.
Melissa Holyoak was confirmed as an FTC commissioner final 12 months. FTC
“I am honored to serve as a Commissioner for the Trump-Vance FTC, and work alongside my friend, Chairman Andrew Ferguson, and our talented nationwide staff to protect hard-working Americans from fraud, to lower prices for healthcare and other consumer goods, and to rein in Big Tech,” Holyoak mentioned in a assertion. “The FTC’s work isn’t limited to just Washington, D.C.—the agency has a nationwide remit.”
A source close to Holyoak mentioned she moved into Ferguson’s outdated workplace solely after the Democratic commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, had been fired on March 18.
The source additionally pushed back on the notion that Holyoak hasn’t spent enough time onsite, asserting that she has met extensively, in particular person, with personnel in key departments throughout the FTC since she was confirmed in 2024, together with the bureaus of competitors, client safety and economics.
“For six out of the last eight weeks, the commissioner has traveled to DC on her own dime and has worked out of DC,” the source mentioned. “During the other two weeks, she traveled to two regional offices to meet with staff in person.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) headquarters in Washington, DC. Bloomberg through Getty Images
Holyoak has visited 4 of the FTC’s regional places of work in particular person, together with three within the final two months. She has additionally spoken at 16 completely different occasions within the final two months to “share the Trump-Vance FTC’s priorities and agenda,” the source added.
Nonetheless, sources insist that Holyoak had little contact with rank-and-file staffers on the FTC that carried out the company’s day-to-day business during their time with the company.
Time zone variations and a lack of face time made it “hard to build a connection with her” and infrequently made it “more difficult to engage in the business of the agency,” the second ex-FTC source added.
Before Trump’s election win, most FTC staff had been required to return in a minimum of twice per pay period, although many opted to return in more typically, sources mentioned.
FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson is pictured. REUTERS
Bedoya and Slaughter, the 2 fired Democrat commissioners, have referred to as the dismissals unlawful and have sued to reverse them.
Holyoak and Ferguson, each Republicans, are named as co-defendants. Mark Meador, who was nominated by Trump to be the third Republican FTC commissioner, is anticipated to be confirmed however he has but to obtain a full Senate vote.
DOGE supplied buyouts to thousands and thousands of staff who didn’t need to comply as half of a broad, Trump-backed effort to cut federal spending and waste. DOGE has additionally clamped down on federal journey budgets, with some exemptions for law enforcement and immigration officers.
President Trump has required federal staff to return to the workplace. Shutterstock
Holyoak, the previous solicitor common of Utah, additionally spent 5 years as an legal professional for the Competitive Enterprise Institute. The assume tank “advocates abolishing antitrust law” and has drawn funding from Big Tech corporations like Google, Meta and Amazon.
Before Ferguson landed the highest gig, Holyoak’s standing as a Republican and energetic FTC commissioner positioned her on the de facto shortlist of potential candidates to switch Democrat Lina Khan as company chair earlier this 12 months.
Elon Musk leads the Department of Goverment Efficiency. AFP through Getty Images
As The Post reported on the time, a notion that Holyoak was too comfortable on Big Tech hindered her bid.
Since taking on as chair, Ferguson has vowed to proceed a crackdown on Big Tech, together with pursuit of an upcoming antitrust case towards Meta that would outcome within the company’s breakup. Ferguson has additionally backed Trump’s determination to fire the FTC’s two Democratic commissioners.
