Rohit Kumar is Chief Negotiator for McConnell.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Rohit Kumar, a top Republican aide, will apparently quit his job in the coming days. His departure is the latest in a string of aides that have left in recent months, a surprising and perturbing trend that has Republicans concerned about the upcoming elections in November.
Kumar is most well-known for selling the idea of a $700 billion bailout for US banks to Congress in 2008, a move that was considered incredibly risky at the time but has since been seen as a critical decision in recovering from the economic collapse and recession.
He has worked in the offices of the last three consecutive Republican Senate leaders and is considered one of the foremost minds on policy and politics, having been one of the drafters of Bush tax cuts in 2003. At present, he is the chief negotiator for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
A native of Boston, Kumar went to Duke University for undergraduate studies, where he earned his degree in political science and economics. His political career began in 1995 as a legislative assistant to Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas). He then earned his law degree from the University of Virginia in 2000. He became a key Republic aide soon after, and helped in creating legislation in my different areas, predominantly in financial and economic sectors but also in areas such as immigration.
In addition to Kumar, the GOP is also losing floor general Dave Schiappa and chief negotiator Brett Loper, both before the upcoming government shutdown that may happen next month.
Kumar is said to be leaving his job in order to spend more time with his three year-old daughter Kiera.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com