Trump Unveils New Pick to Head Labor Department– “President Trump on Thursday announced he was nominating Alexander Acosta to be his Labor secretary, less than 24 hours after his first nominee for the position withdrew amid criticism from Republican senators. ‘He has had a tremendous career,’ Trump said of Acosta in a press conference at the White House, listing off highlights of his nominee’s resume. Acosta was not present at the press conference. ‘I think he’ll be a tremendous secretary of Labor,’ the president added, noting that Acosta has gotten through the Senate confirmation process before. Acosta is a former member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and is currently the dean of Florida International University’s law school. A Republican, Acosta served on the NLRB from December 2002 to August 2003 and authored more than 125 opinions, according to his bio on FIU’s website. A Harvard law graduate, he was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 to be the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Acosta was the first Hispanic U.S. assistant attorney general and longest-serving U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. If confirmed, he would be Trump’s first Hispanic Cabinet member.” (The Hill, 16 February 2017).
[NYT] Andrew Puzder Withdraws from Consideration as Labor Secretary– “The fast-food executive Andrew F. Puzder withdrew his nomination to be labor secretary on Wednesday as Republican senators turned sharply against him, the latest defeat for a White House besieged by infighting and struggling for traction even with a Republican-controlled Congress. The toppling of one of President Trump’s cabinet picks was a victory for Democrats, unions and liberal groups that had been attacking Mr. Puzder’s business record and his character since he was chosen in December. Conservative publications, including National Review and Breitbart, had also expressed resistance, zeroing in on Mr. Puzder’s employment of an undocumented immigrant as his housekeeper. And records from his 1988 divorce, disseminated Tuesday night by opponents, resurfaced spousal abuse accusations that made some Republican senators uncomfortable. . .The opposition from Republicans was broad, and the reasons varied. Among the senators who expressed concerns were John Thune of South Dakota, Rob Portman of Ohio, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Tim Scott of South Carolina, more than enough to scuttle the nomination.” (New York Times, 15 February 2017).
Second Time’s The Charm? An Employer’s Guide to Labor Secretary Nominee Alexander Acosta– “After his initial selection of Andrew Puzder was scuttled by staunch opposition from Democrats and worker advocates, President Trump nominated Alexander Acosta to be the country’s next Secretary of Labor. This Cabinet-level position heads the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), one of the federal agencies that has the widest and deepest impact on employers across the country. Assuming that Acosta is confirmed by the Senate, what should employers know about him in order to predict what life will be like under his tenure as part of the Trump administration? We’ve assembled the opinions of some of our firm’s foremost thought leaders when it comes to this question, offering you a glimpse into what to expect for the next several years.” (Fisher Phillips, 17 February 2017).
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