Venable partner Ashley Craig was quoted in a November 3 Law360 article on potential conflicts with the Tea Party movement when it comes to trade following the GOP victory because the positions of Tea-Party backed Republican representatives on the issue remain largely unknown.
Craig commented, "Unfortunately, I don't think trade will be a priority issue. The Republicans in the House have said they will focus on financial issues and repealing health care reform, so trade may get caught in the crossfire and fall victim to a further lack of consideration."
He noted that he was "less certain that the House GOP leaders would have the appetite for a vote on trade deals that conservative new members could portray as aiding foreign countries at the expensive of foreign jobs."
"The big question is whether they want to tackle something that could blow up in their face," he said.
He also commented that, "Republican leaders inclined to seek a less risky approach to supporting free trade and set themselves apart on trade issues could issue statements putting pressure on the administration to begin negotiating new free trade agreements."
This article can be read in its entirety at Law360.