Marlon Marshall, key White House aide, steps down Friday
|
Version 0 of 1. Marlon Marshall, who oversaw the White House health-care enrollment efforts and could play a key role in a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, will step down Friday and rejoin his former consulting firm 270 Strategies. Marshall -- who serves as deputy director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and has won the respect of many Democrats and Republicans for his organizing skills -- is likely to work for Clinton if she launches a bid for president this year and brings on his former mentor, Robby Mook, as her campaign manager. The two men worked together on Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign and Marshall stayed with Clinton until she conceded the Democratic primary, before joining Obama’s general-election campaign. Mook and Marshall maintain an informal network of political operatives dubbed the "Mook Mafia"; a slew of internal e-mails were leaked from the group's communications in November, underscoring the intense jockeying among Democrats in the run-up to the 2016 campaign. In addition to helping salvage the Affordable Care Act's rollout in 2013, Marhsall helped lead the efforts to launch the My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge. More than 140 cities have signed up for the the initiative, aimed at improving the lives of young men of color. In a statement White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett praised Marshall, who is 35 and joined the White House in September 2013. “From day one, Marlon has been an indispensable member of my team and has done tremendous work on behalf of the President for the American people," Jarrett said. "From his leadership during the ACA enrollment efforts to his skillful execution of the My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge, Marlon made an impact on his colleagues and, more importantly, on the lives of countless Americans. We will miss his talent, energy, and good humor. I am very proud of him and the work he has done to move our country forward, and I wish him all the best." Marshall's departure had been rumored for nearly a month -- Buzzfeed reported three weeks ago that he was likely to leave and could rejoin 270 Strategies, where he was a founding partner. Before working at the firm, Marshall had served as the national field director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and deputy national field director for the Obama campaign in 2012. In an e-mail Thursday night, 270 Strategies spokeswoman Lynda Tran described Marshall as “a powerhouse grassroots campaigner” who “played a pivotal role in establishing both 270 Strategies' approach and culture.” “We're incredibly proud of the contributions he has made during his time at the White House and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome his spirit, energy, and strategic thinking back to the 270 family,” Tran wrote. |