President Biden is considering Stephen Robert, a former Wall Street executive with close ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to become U.S. ambassador to Italy, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The president has struggled with and waited to fill the post — despite the desirability of living in Rome. The ambassadorial residence, Villa Taverna, boasts a pool, private gardens and a three-story wine cellar, nestled in the catacombs below.
- Democratic donors and diplomats had speculated the president was keeping the position open for Pelosi, if the Italian American decided not to run for re-election.
- Her recent public announcement that she plans to run for an 18th full term this fall — and, now, the potential nomination of her ally — douses that thinking.
The intrigue: The speaker has pressed the White House to nominate Robert and signaled he's a priority for her.
- A White House official said a final decision isn’t close to being made.
Between the lines: Robert, 80, was chairman and CEO of Oppenheimer & Co., a New York investment firm.
- He also served as chancellor of Brown University from 1998-2007.
- He's married to Pilar Crespi Robert, who's worked in the Italian fashion industry. She's the daughter of the late Count Rodolfo Crespi, an Italian Brazilian public relations specialist and journalist.
- Together, they run the Source of Hope Organization, a charity focused on the developing world.
The big picture: More than a year into his presidency, Biden has yet to nominate ambassadors to some important countries.
- Beyond Italy, they include the Republic of Korea — South Korea.
While some of his nominees were held up in the Senate, the president has been slow to announce his picks.
- Many ambassadors are only arriving in their posts after the Senate confirmed more than 30 of them before the Christmas congressional recess.
- Biden — a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — has sought to balance political and professional aspirations.
- He's aimed to pair his nominations of donors and other political nominees with appointments for career civil servants.
- In the end, the president will likely draw from the professional diplomatic ranks for about 70% of his foreign envoys.
Of note: Robert has given over $500,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Pelosi's leadership PAC, according to FEC reports.
- He doesn't appear to be a major Biden donor.
