Top Bush political aide to depart

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- White House Office of Political Affairs chief Matt Schlapp is leaving the administration for a post with Koch Industries, The Hill reports.

He will reportedly be replaced by Sara Taylor, deputy to Bush-Cheney '04 chief strategist Matthew Dowd.

Schlapp's new position will be executive director of federal affairs, a post created atop the privately held oil and gas company's Washington lobbying staff.

In 2003, Schlapp replaced current Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman as head of the White House political office when Mehlman left to set up the president's re-election campaign. Before coming to the White House, Schlapp was a regional political director for Bush-Cheney 2000 as well as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.