John Mashburn

John Mashburn
Basic facts
Location:	Washington, D.C.
Affiliation:	Republican
Education:	•North Carolina State University •University of North Carolina School of Law
Prior Experience •Office of Sen. Jesse Helms •Office of Sen. Trent Lott •Office of Sen. John Ashcroft •Office of Rep. Tom Delay •Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice •Carleson Center for Public Policy •Office of Sen. Thom Tillis •Donald Trump 2016 presidential

John Mashburn was the policy director for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. According to Marjorie Dannenfelser of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List, he is a policy strategist with "deep pro-life roots" that are responsible for his entry into politics in the first place.

Mashburn has worked on Capitol Hill on and off as counsel and as an aide since 1987.

His experience includes working with Republicans Jesse Helms (N.C.), Trent Lott (Miss.), John Ashcroft (Mo.), and Tom Delay (Texas).

He is widely regarded as a strong pro-life policy strategist.

Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016

See also: Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016

Mashburn joined Donald Trump's presidential campaign in May 2016 after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee. At the time, Trump's campaign began hiring policy advisors ahead of the general election and ahead of a transition process that involved both presidential candidates. According to Politico, Mashburn was one of a few hires who helped "the campaign build out its knowledge base and outreach to the party’s policy experts."

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, praised Mashburn's hire, citing his pro-life activism: "Donald Trump has brought on John Mashburn as his Policy Director. This is an excellent hire, especially for the pro-life movement and our legislative priorities. I have known and respected John Mashburn for many years. He is a smart strategist with deep pro-life roots. John is well-respected across every issue set. For him, the life issue is foundational and one which helped draw him into politics."

Trump policy shop

In September 2016, The Washington Post reported that Mashburn was one of the leaders of a largely closed policy shop for the Trump campaign. The paper described the operation, writing, "Since April, advisers never named in campaign press releases have been working in an Alexandria-based office, writing policy memos, organizing briefings, managing surrogates and placing op-eds. They put in long hours before and during the Republican National Convention to help the campaign look like a professional operation." According to the Post, Mashburn and Trump advisor Rick Dearborn were the operation's leaders until most of the staff quit when they weren't paid.

Career

Early career

After graduating from law school at the University of North Carolina, Mashburn began working in politics as counsel to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), advising him on a number of policy issues. Mashburn was one of Helms' advisors when Helms worked to limit and defund the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1992, Mashburn attended a panel on government funding of the arts at Davidson County (N.C.) Community College, where he passed out controversial art funded through the NEA. Mashburn said, "You do not raid the federal treasury and force all taxpayers to pay for this. ... Federal funding of the arts should be directed to time-tested, sustained art."

Mashburn continued to work as a congressional aide, with time on the staffs of Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.), Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and Rep. Tom Delay.

Private sector

In 2006, Mashburn transitioned to the private sector to work as a lawyer for the firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice. According to an article in The Washington Post at the time of his hire, Mashburn is "a Senate rules specialist, which will be helpful to clients who need help slowing legislative action in the upper chamber." Mashburn implied that his experience would help Republicans gain more control over the process, telling the paper, "The Democrats were very good at using the rules . . . to at least having their side of an issued aired."

Mashburn became the executive director of the Carleson Center for Public Policy in April 2011, becoming the first executive director of the organization. The center, now called the Carleson Center for Welfare Reform, was named after Ronald Reagan's welfare reform advisor Bob Carleson and aims to "conduct independent, nonpartisan research on reforming a range of domestic spending programs with a focus on welfare and other entitlement policy."

Thom Tillis chief of staff

In December 2014, Mashburn took a position as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Mashburn left the position in December 2015 to return to the private sector, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times.

See also

• Thom Tillis
• Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016

External links

• John Mashburn on LinkedIn