Van Hollen expands staff in new post

Assistant to the Speaker Chris Van Hollen announced several staff additions this morning as the Maryland Democrat moves to bulk up his post in ways no previous Pelosi deputy has done before.

Van Hollen, who earned the new title after accepting a second term at the helm of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has hired several former DCCC staffers. The moves come as Van Hollen works to expand an office created by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to facilitate policy and legislative strategy and to keep vulnerable Democrats in office.

{mosads}C.R. Wooters, who spent the past two years as incumbent retention director at the DCCC, will serve as director of member services, while Doug Thornell, previously the DCCC’s national press secretary, will be the office’s communications director and a senior advisor to Van Hollen.

Van Hollen also tapped Aaron Schmidt as a legislative director and Julie Merz as Wooters’ deputy in the member services department. Schmidt had served as legislative director for sophomore Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio), while Merz spent 2008 running ex-Rep. Jim Slattery’s (D-Kan.) bid against Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).

The staff moves come as Van Hollen has aggressively spruced up the once-symbolic position of assistant to the Speaker. In exchange for agreeing to take the helm of the party’s campaign arm for a second cycle, Van Hollen won a broadened portfolio that includes the opportunity to serve as the chief liaison between House Democrats and the incoming administration of President-elect Obama.

Van Hollen will also take over incumbent protection duties that were once the domain of Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), the incoming White House chief of staff. Emanuel created of a host of services including staffing, press and legislative assistance designed to better help new and vulnerable members keep their jobs.

Last month, Van Hollen moved former chief of staff Karen Robb from his personal office to serve as policy director in the new leadership post. He has also hired a staff assistant from his personal campaign office.

With six staffers on board already, Van Hollen has built a much bigger staff than earlier assistants to the Speaker. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) had four staffers when she served as Pelosi’s watchdog, and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), who just finished a stint in the same position, did not have staff during his tenure.