Sarah Huckabee Sanders neared completion of the lineup of cabinet officials today with her announced intention to nominee Allison Waldrip Bragg, currently an assistant U.S. attorney in Little Rock, as inspector general replacing Elizabeth Thomas Smith.
In 10 years as a prosecutor, Bragg has been white-collar coordinator for the office and public information officer. She’s a Lee County native and UA graduate. Sanders said she “shares my vision to promote efficiency by tackling waste, fraud and abuse at every level of government.”
The position has been described in the Hutchinson years as Medicaid inspector general. In a prepared web page, Smith said that as Medicaid Inspector General she developed a data analytics division, increased fraud referrals and “fought to reduce spending in Behavioral Health, which led to overall systemic change as well as criminal charges.”
Sanders has now named picks for 14 of 15 Cabinet secretary slots. Still pending is Health secretary, currently filled on an interim basis by Renee Mallory.