The Biden administration appears to be leaving behind political footprints in the federal government as former White House and campaign operatives quietly embed themselves into career civil service positions. The latest case involves Taylor Carter-Disanto, a Biden loyalist whose social media presence openly showcases her ties to Joe Biden and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ and racial equity initiatives.
She recently landed a career position at the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), raising serious questions about the ethicality of so-called “burrowing”—the practice of converting political appointees into permanent civil servants.
Carter-Disanto’s background reveals a clear trajectory of partisan political work. From the Biden campaign to the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO) and then a political appointment at the Department of Commerce, she has operated squarely within the Biden administration’s ideological framework. Her previous role as Special Assistant to the National Director of the MBDA saw her promoting equity-based initiatives, including highlighting the contributions of Black and Brown transgender women.
After a brief stint as Baltimore’s Deputy Director for Broadband and Digital Equity—where she blamed 1960s redlining for modern internet issues—she returned to the Department of Commerce in December 2024 in a permanent capacity.
While federal ethics rules are designed to prevent political operatives from seamlessly transitioning into civil service roles without proper scrutiny, Carter-Disanto’s career shift raises red flags. According to federal guidelines, such conversions require special approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to ensure fairness and to prevent politically motivated appointments from undermining the next administration. However, OPM did not respond to inquiries about whether it approved Carter-Disanto’s transition.
This is not the first time a former Biden White House staffer has been accused of burrowing into the permanent federal workforce. Elizabeth Peña, another PPO alumna and Biden campaign worker, secured a non-political job at the Department of Labor after her stint with Kamala Harris’s transition team. Following exposure of Peña’s appointment, the Trump administration fired her, signaling its commitment to rooting out politically driven hires.
The Minority Business Development Agency, where Carter-Disanto now holds a position, was initially created via executive order in 1969 but was made a permanent agency under Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law. The agency received $110 million in annual funding, and its leader became a presidentially appointed position. The law also redefined the terms of “socially or economically disadvantaged” to include broad racial categories such as Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, codifying a federal mandate for equity-based programs.
Carter-Disanto’s LinkedIn profile makes no secret of her intentions. She describes herself as a “dedicated social and economic equity advocate” with a “special focus on equity.” Her public statements suggest she plans to use her new role to push the kind of initiatives President Trump has openly criticized as divisive and counterproductive. Trump has been clear in his opposition to “equity” initiatives, which he sees as a vehicle for identity-based favoritism rather than merit-based opportunity.
The Trump administration has already indicated that it will not tolerate political operatives burrowing into career positions to undermine its policy agenda. The Department of Labor’s swift dismissal of Peña following a previous exposé sets a precedent that could spell trouble for Carter-Disanto and others who have used their connections to secure career roles in the federal government. With Trump back in office, it’s likely that agencies will face heightened scrutiny to ensure that career positions are filled by qualified, non-partisan professionals rather than ideological activists.
