Trump's Pick for Deputy Commerce Secretary Worked Against Him During the Election

November 30, 2016 at 13:34

Mitt Romney isn't the only former critic of President-elect Donald Trump that may become a key member of the Trump administration.

Trump chose Todd Ricketts, an outspoken opponent of Trump's presidential bid, as his deputy commerce secretary.

Todd Ricketts had backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker early in the GOP presidential primaries; his brother Pete supported Trump when he became the presumptive nominee in May.

At a rally in Nebraska that month, Trump took a jab at Todd.

“I love Pete, but I think his brother [Todd Ricketts] doesn't like me as much as he does," Trump said of Pete Ricketts, the governor of Nebraska and Todd's brother. "I like him so much, I'm starting to like the Chicago Cubs again."

PHOTO: Mike Pence, and his wife Karen, stand on stage with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts before speaking at a campaign stop in Omaha, Oct. 27, 2016. — Nati Harnik/AP Photo
Mike Pence, and his wife Karen, stand on stage with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts before speaking at a campaign stop in Omaha, Oct. 27, 2016.more +

In Trump's announcement this morning of Todd Ricketts' appointment, Trump called him "an immensely successful businessman with unparalleled knowledge of the finance industry."

Trump went on to praise the work that the Ricketts family has done with World Series champions the Chicago Cubs, a team that the family has owned since 2009, even though Trump previously criticized their handling of the storied franchise.

In the announcement, Trump said that "the incredible job he and the Ricketts family did in the purchase and turnaround of the Chicago Cubs – one perfect step after another, leading to the World Championship, is what I want representing our people."

But he hasn't always felt that way. During the election, when certain members of the Ricketts family were funding super PACs that spent millions of dollars against Trump, the New York businessman fired back.

In February, Trump tweeted that the family was "secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!"

I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2016

When asked what he meant by that during a meeting with the Washington Post editorial boardin March, Trump said "it means that I’ll start spending on them. I’ll start taking ads telling them all what a rotten job they’re doing with the Chicago Cubs."

Family Ties

PHOTO: The Ricketts family from Omaha, Nebraska, are the new owners of the Chicago Cubs baseball club, from left, Pete, Tom, Laura, and Todd, are photographed after an interview with The Associated Press in Chicago, Oct. 29, 2009. — Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo
The Ricketts family from Omaha, Nebraska, are the new owners of the Chicago Cubs baseball club, from left, Pete, Tom, Laura, and Todd, are photographed after an interview with The Associated Press in Chicago, Oct. 29, 2009.more +

Todd Ricketts comes from a wealthy, politically active family with deep connections.

Todd's father Joe Ricketts is the billionaire founder and former CEO of online brokerage TD Ameritrade.

Joe Ricketts also founded the digital news site DNAinfo in 2009. That same year, the Ricketts family bought the controlling stake in the Chicago Cubs.

Todd's brother Tom Ricketts is currently the chairman of the Cubs, while Todd, his brother Pete, and sister Laura are all members of the team's board.

Pete Ricketts is currently in his first term as the Republican governor of Nebraska. He endorsed Trump in May, just days after Trump became the Republican Party's presumptive nominee.

Laura Ricketts' political ties differ from the rest of her family's. She held fundraisers for Hillary Clinton during this election cycle and made multiple donations to her campaign. Laura Ricketts, who is lesbian, was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and is the first openly gay co-owner of a major sports franchise in the United States.

PHOTO: Laura M. Ricketts (C) co-owner of the Chicago Cubs before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds, April 14, 2016, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. — David Banks/Getty Images
Laura M. Ricketts (C) co-owner of the Chicago Cubs before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds, April 14, 2016, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.more +

Political Plays

At several points during the presidential campaign, both Todd Ricketts and his parents were actively trying to stop Trump from becoming president.

Todd Ricketts was the co-finance chair for Scott Walker's failed presidential bid. After Walker dropped out, he reportedly got involved with the anti-Trump Our Principles PAC, which released negative ads against Trump.

Federal Election Commission filings show that matriarch Marlene Ricketts made a total of $4 million in donations to Our Principles PAC in January and February. Joe Ricketts gave the group $1 million one week after Trump's tweet about the family. Marlene gave the group another $500,000 in March.

PHOTO: Joe and Marlene Ricketts, parents of Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Ricketts, are seen prior to a debate in Lincoln, Nebraska, Oct. 2, 2014. — Nati Harnik/AP Photo
Joe and Marlene Ricketts, parents of Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Ricketts, are seen prior to a debate in Lincoln, Nebraska, Oct. 2, 2014.more +

Joe and Marlene Ricketts also gave millions to Future45, an anti-Clinton PAC that they largely bankrolled along with casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.

Tom Ricketts was asked about the Trump's tweet during a news conference relating to the Cubs.

"It's a little surreal when Donald Trump threatens your mom," Ricketts said, according to CSN Chicago, an NBC affiliate.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
PHOTO:Tom Ricketts of the Chicago Cubs holds the ball from the final out of the World Series during the Chicago Cubs victory celebration in Grant Park, Nov. 4, 2016, in Chicago.more +

"The fact is, whether it's my mom or my dad on his Ending Spending stuff or my sister on marriage equality or my brothers and what they do or what we do with the team, we're pretty much an open book," he added.

Ending Spending is a group founded by Joe Ricketts that says its purpose is ending wasteful government spending. Todd Ricketts is listed as the director and CEO of Ending Spending on the group's website.

"We stand up for what we believe in. We support the causes that we think are important. That's what America should be. That's who we are," the site says.