Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to become secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is set to face his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Turner, an NFL veteran, previously served as the first executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council in Trump’s first administration. Turner helped “lead an unprecedented effort that transformed our country’s most distressed communities” in his tenure, Trump said in a statement about the nomination.
“Scott will work alongside me to Make America Great Again for EVERY American,” said Trump.
In this new role, Turner would be tasked with advising Trump primarily on the housing needs of low and moderate-income families and increasing Americans’ access to homeownership. The department also handles cases of housing discrimination.
A ProPublica story last month found a number of instances in which Turner, in his role as a Texas lawmaker, voted against measures that would help lower-income people, including a bill that would have expanded affordable housing for renters. A spokesman for Turner responded by saying that “of course ProPublica would try and paint a negative picture of Mr. Turner before he is even given the opportunity to testify. We would expect nothing less from a publication that solely serves as a liberal mouthpiece.”
The HUD position requires Senate confirmation. The committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs will meet in an open session on Thursday morning to conduct Turner’s hearing.
Here’s what you need to know about the confirmation hearing.
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Turner’s hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Turner is a 52-year-old retired professional football player, politician and motivational speaker based in Texas. He also served as chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at America First Policy Insitute, Trump’s think tank.
Turner co-founded Community Engagement & Opportunity Council, an organization whose mission is to “transform communities through sports, mentorship, and economic opportunity” after his stint at the White House. Turner co-founded the organization with his wife, Robin. The couple share a son, Solomon.
Turner served two terms in the Texas House of Representatives and worked as a chief inspiration officer at Systemware, Inc., a Texas-based tech company. Turner has had had a number of jobs since he retired from the NFL, including as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.
After Turner graduated for the University of Illinois, he played for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2004, according to ESPN.
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
