York, Lancaster leaders meet with Trump administration officials in DC

York County area leaders met with Kellyanne Conway, Mick Mulvaney and other Trump administration officials Thursday in Washington, D.C.

South Carolina officials were invited to the White House for the “White House Conference with South Carolina State and Local leaders.”

York County Councilman Robert Winkler visited the White House for the conference and met Vice President Mike Pence in person during a tour of the Capitol. He noted on his Facebook page that he paid for the trip himself, and that no county money was used.

Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes, along with five more members from his council, also attended. While there, Carnes said he spoke with York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson. Carnes said about 175 people represented the Palmetto State.

Carnes said the relatively new program is an effort by the Trump administration to connect state and national leaders, who may be able to help on a variety of issues. Carnes met with an assistant press secretary and communications staff. He heard former Indian Land representative and current office of management and budget director Mick Mulvaney.

“The biggest theme of everything was they wanted us to know they were available,” Winkler said.

He said he went to D.C. before the one-day conference and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman’s office arranged a tour of the Capitol, where he was able to meet and take a picture with Pence.

“I was impressed. They really seemed to be trying to work with state and local officials,” Winkler said. “They wanted to partner with us but not necessarily tell us how to do everything.”

Mick Zais, former state education superintendent and now deputy secretary with the U.S. Department of Education, spoke. Kellyanne Conway, advisor to Trump, talked about the national opioid epidemic.

“The stuff they discuss at a national level, it really hit home at the local level,” Carnes said.

Winkler said White House officials said the South Carolina group was the 35th state group to visit for the conferences. The program is more than a year old, Carnes said, and will have had all 50 states participate within a month or so.

The Lancaster County leader left with a list of phone numbers for directors and others who can provide specific answers.

“The biggest takeaway was just that they were offering access to the right people,” Carnes said. “It’s not just calling a number out of the blue.”