According to three persons familiar with the situation, long-time Republican national security specialist Michael Allen was recently removed as CIA director nominee John Ratcliffe’s “sherpa” when he co-hosted a campaign fundraiser for Liz Cheney.
When Ratcliffe was fired from his position in recent weeks, Allen, who assisted in planning a fundraiser for prominent Trump critic Cheney in February 2021, had already started planning Hill meetings for him, the people knowledgeable, including a transition official, told POLITICO.
According to the transition official, who like the others was given anonymity to speak about internal affairs, Allen did a “fine job” of endorsing Ratcliffe’s nomination, and his work on the nominee’s behalf was essentially finished when he was ejected.
However, the removal seemed to be more proof of the president-elect’s efforts to weed out Republicans who have backed vocal opponents like Cheney, who was a member of the House Jan. 6 committee and voted to impeach Trump.
Following the story’s publication, Allen texted POLITICO, saying, “I was happy to pitch in, Ratcliffe will make a great CIA director, and I’m looking forward to President Trump’s term.”
Requests for comment were not answered by a transition representative.
One of the people with knowledge of Allen’s removal stated, “This new administration has more purity tests than the first term.”
When POLITICO first reported on the fundraiser in mid-December, Cheney was the chair of the House Republican Conference. She was removed from leadership a few months after surviving a vote to remove her in February 2021. She went on to become the House Jan. 6 committee’s deputy chair. The cost of the fundraiser was $1,000 for attendees, $2,500 for the personal host, or $5,000 for each PAC. Notable names from D.C. were on its host list.
Prior to entering the private sector, Allen served as the majority staff director on the House Intelligence Committee and worked in the George W. Bush White House on homeland security, legislative affairs, and counter-proliferation policy issues. He currently serves as managing director of Beacon Global Strategies LLC, a consulting firm.
This Wednesday is Ratcliffe’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. To date, no Democrats have publicly endorsed him.
