LegiStorm

Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-Calif.) communications director has departed after less than three months on the job, following backlash over the former journalist’s alleged sympathies for dictators and human rights abusers.

Hermela Aregawi attracted the ire of some in the African diaspora for her denial of famine in the Ethiopian region of Tigray and her ties with supporters of the Eritrean government, long cited as one of the most repressive in the world. Her social media contains praise and fundraising appeals for BreakThrough News, which made headlines earlier this year for promoting Russian and Chinese government narratives. Aregawi frequently reposts content from BreakThrough News' Eugene Puryear, formerly of the Kremlin propaganda outlet Sputnik.

Aregawi is Ethiopian by birth and moved with her family to the U.S. when she was 7. She previously worked for CBS, Al Jazeera and Current TV.

When it comes to losing key staff, the office of Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) stands out.

Jackson leads the House in staff departures so far this year, according to a LegiStorm analysis. His office has a turnover rate more than four times the chamber's average.

Of the 13 full-time staffers who joined the freshman member's (D-Ill.) office from January through March, only three remain on his staff.

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), who is not seeking reelection next year, has the second highest turnover rate, more than triple the House average. Although retiring members are expected to have high turnover, Spartz led the House in turnover last year and has inspired a Politico report on her alleged mistreatment of staffers.

Reps. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.), Jim Baird (R-Ind.) and Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) each have turnover roughly three times the average and round out the House's five worst staff-retention rates.

Two offices that have had a lot of focus on staffing issues this year are Reps. George Santos and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), yet they have had a much easier time keeping staff. They have a turnover rate only 1.2 and 1.6 times the House, respectively.

On average, House Republicans and Democrats have experienced roughly equal turnover since January.

High turnover doesn't necessarily indicate that an individual member is difficult to work for. But over time, consistently poor staff retention can result in lower productivity and effectiveness and may indicate a workplace that staffers wish to avoid.

LegiStorm's staff turnover index is salary-weighted, meaning that the departure of a higher-paid staffer, such as a chief of staff, will count proportionately more than a staff assistant or other lower-paid staffer. LegiStorm considers only full-time, non-temporary staff and excludes all interns and fellows.

One of Congress's top advocates for electric-vehicle adoption has lost her longest-serving staffer to Tesla.

Kevin Rambosk joined the electric-vehicle manufacturer's Washington team as a senior adviser on federal policy. He was most recently Debbie Dingell's (D-Mich.) deputy chief of staff.

Dingell, a former General Motors executive who now champions EV adoption, last month voiced concerns about Tesla's and other EV manufacturers' reliance on Chinese materials. Since then, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) has questioned Tesla's relationship with a Chinese battery manufacturer, reportedly "amid concerns U.S. electric vehicle subsidies were improperly flowing to foreign entities."

Rambosk had worked for Dingell since she took office in January 2015 and climbed the ladder from legislative aide to deputy chief. Before that, he worked for now-deceased Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), whose former seat the congresswoman now holds.

Last month, Congressional Black Caucus members traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before continuing to Rwanda - a trip that represents some of the highest-ever spending by an interest group on private congressional travel.

The American Israel Education Foundation, a sister group to the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, sent ten representatives on a trip to the two countries' capital cities from Sept. 1-10.

So far, six of those members - Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) - have filed ethics disclosures for the trip. Except for Jackson and Torres, each of the six brought along a family member on AIEF's dime.

For those who traveled with family members, AIEF spent more than $50,000 per member - the four highest expenses for privately funded congressional travel since at least 2000. Only one other trip has ever passed the $50,000 mark.

Jackson's and Torres's trips cost AIEF $28,593 and $26,279, respectively.

Reps. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Troy Carter (D-La.) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) also reportedly traveled with the group but have not yet filed disclosures. Members and staff are required to disclose such travel within 15 days of the trip's end.

In Israel, the delegation met with Netanyahu, reportedly to help boost the prime minister's relationship with the Biden administration and Democrats and in an unsuccessful attempt at securing Netanyahu a White House meeting.

Members also met attended discussions on Israeli-African relations, visited the Gaza Strip border and met with the Rwandan president. Members and their accompanying relatives flew business class to and from the U.S. and by chartered plane from Israel to Rwanda.

So far this year, members and staff have disclosed accepting a total of 86 AIEF trips that have cost the organization more than $1.7 million. Other interest groups have spent $5.5 million on another 1,363 trips.

After a nine-month stint on the Hill, a staffer to Rep. Jimmy Panetta has flocked elsewhere.

Trey Elizondo started this month as a policy associate for agribusiness giant Cargill Inc., the largest privately held company in the U.S. by revenue. Its CEO testified before the House Agriculture Committee last year in a hearing on anti-competitive industry practices and rising food prices.

Elizondo most recently served as Panetta's legislative assistant covering agriculture issues. He previously worked for Monument Advocacy and the Farm Credit Council.