Andrew Puzder became the first of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks to go down Wednesday, withdrawing his name from consideration as labor secretary, the White House confirmed.
In a statement provided to the Associated Press, Puzder said he had been “honored to have been considered by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Labor and put America’s workers and businesses back on a path to sustainable prosperity.”
“While I won’t be serving in the administration, I fully support the President and his highly qualified team,” he said in the statement.
Up to a dozen Republican senators were uncertain whether they could back the fast-food executive.
Helen Ware, press secretary for the Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said earlier Wednesday that Washington state Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the panel, had yet to receive any paperwork from Puzder in advance of a planned confirmation hearing Thursday, including his opening statement.
“It certainly raises questions,” she said. “We typically would have gotten paperwork by this time.”
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont tweeted: “I’m glad Puzder will withdraw. Given his relationship to his employees he wasn’t fit to lead a department responsible for defending workers.”
South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, one of the undecided senators, had said earlier this week the hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee should go on as planned.
“I think we should continue the conversation until all of our questions have been answered,” Scott said. “We are in the process.”
Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch said, “Obviously, if there aren’t the votes there to confirm, there’s no sense having a vote.”
Four of the uncommitted Republicans – Scott, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Johnny Isakson of Georgia – sit on the labor committee.
Murray said in an interview with McClatchy this week that Puzder should withdraw to avoid a bruising embarrassment Thursday.
“I think a lot is going to come out, and every senator is going to have ask themselves: ‘Is this the kind of person I want to refer my constituent to as overseeing the workplace policies in this country?’ ” Murray said. “My message to Sen. Scott, or any senator at this point, is to really look at this man’s record and the policies he has promoted in the workplace.”
As the hearing drew closer, Puzder’s support in the GOP appeared to waver.
CNN first reported Wednesday that several unnamed top Republican senators had asked Trump to withdraw Puzder’s name.
White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez contributed.
Rob Hotakainen: 202-383-6154, @HotakainenRob
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