Stuart Delery, first openly gay man to serve as White House counsel, to step down

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Stuart Delery, the first openly gay man to serve as the top legal counsel to a U.S. president, will step down from his role, President Joe Biden announced Thursday.

"Stuart Delery has been a trusted adviser and a constant source of innovative legal thinking since Day One of my administration," Biden said in his statement.

Biden touted Delery for helping with the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as aiding his administration in providing vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He has been an integral part of my team and will be missed throughout the administration," Biden said. "I extend my thanks to Stuart and his family for his service."

Delery joined the Biden administration as deputy counsel and was promoted after his predecessor, Dana Remus, left the top post.

Before joining the Biden administration, Delery served as acting associate attorney general during the administration of former President Barack Obama before working as a partner at the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Delery is expected to leave the job next month, and his successor has not yet been named.

Biden's White House remains perhaps the most stable in modern history, with turnover in his Cabinet of just 7%, according to data from Brookings.

The turnover for "A-team" members of the executive office of the president, which does not include Cabinet members, is 56% -- well below that of former President Donald Trump and a sign that the president may keep his inner circle through the 2024 presidential election.