The attorney general of Maryland speaks often — sometimes several times a week — with the deputy administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
If that sounds strange, it helps to remember that Earl Adams Jr. was raised in Prince George’s County and served as Anthony Brown’s chief of staff, running the then-lieutenant governor’s 15-employee office in the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley.
“Of all my former employees and co-workers, the one person who I'm in touch with more than anybody else is Earl Adams,” said Brown, who was sworn in as Maryland’s first Black attorney general earlier this year. “I still seek his advice and counsel.”
In separate interviews with Transport Dive, Brown and O’Malley shared insights on the qualities that made Adams successful in state government — and a glimpse of what the trucking industry can expect from the recently-promoted regulatory official.
A willingness to listen and make adjustments
Brown said he was thankful for his onetime chief of staff on a daily basis.
He recalled how thorny issues felt less daunting once Adams walked through the door, replacing anxiety with a sense of comfort, “that we’re gonna get this done.”
The trucking industry, which has been known to gripe about the FMCSA, should take heart: The agency’s new deputy administrator has what his former boss describes as a “willingness to listen to people and make adjustments and modifications, accommodations, if you will, to solve problems.”
“He recognizes that he's not necessarily the smartest guy in the room, but he's smart enough to bring the right people into the room,” Brown said.
So much of effective regulation is being able to communicate clearly and openly and honestly with people and hear their concerns.
Martin O'Malley
Former governor of Maryland
O’Malley praised Adams as “a great guy and a wonderful lawyer.”
As lieutenant governor’s chief of staff, Adams understood the breadth of the state’s regulatory schemes and had the advantage of a law degree, O’Malley said.
“I think he’ll do an outstanding job,” the former governor said. “He's a decent person, and so much of effective regulation is being able to communicate clearly and openly and honestly with people and hear their concerns.”
An appreciation for ‘the regulated’
Adams’ time in private practice, assisting client companies in working with the government, taught him the intricate difficulties of doing business in regulated industries, the deputy administrator said in an interview. He worked for the Saul Ewing and DLA Piper law firms, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“I walked into my role as chief counsel with an appreciation for what it's like being in a regulated industry — ‘the regulated’ — and now to be the regulator, [I’m] trying to be mindful of that,” he said.
Adams, the agency’s lead on AVs, said his professional background provided him with the ability to balance multiple parties’ competing interests, a key skill for the regulator’s No. 2 official.
“It sometimes can be a delicate piece,” he said. “But recognizing that there are multiple sides to every story, ... the agency should be sensitive to that and be aware of that as we are pursuing our responsibilities and obligations.”
