The federal government learned it was losing an important figure this week. No, not James Comey, but the director of the US Census Bureau. The resignation announcement of John Thompson was overshadowed by Comey's firing, but Wired argues there's good reason to care about it. A former Census head says the loss of Thompson could cause things to "slow down" ahead of the 2020 count at a time they should be picking up speed. The 10-year census is used for everything from allocating congressional seats to determining where new infrastructure is needed. One economist worries Thompson quitting means "we're going to have to make important decisions with less information." Here's what else you need to know:
- Thompson has been with the bureau since 1975 and director since 2013. He had been expected to at least serve out his five-year term that expires at the end of the year, but instead he'll be gone June 30. The official line is that he is leaving to pursue "private sector" opportunities, reports NPR.