Andrew Puzder, President Trump’s choice to serve as the next labor secretary, has withdrawn his nomination amidst growing resistance from Republicans and Democrats in the Senate.
"After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor," Pudzer said in a statement. "I am 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."
He continued: "I want to thank President Trump for his nomination. I also thank my family and my many supporters – employees, businesses, friends and people who have voiced their praise and hopeful optimism for the policies and new thinking I would have brought to America as Secretary of Labor. While I won’t be serving in the administration, I fully support the President and his highly qualified team."
In the hours leading up to Puzder’s withdrawal, 12 Republican senators "at a minimum" were withholding support, according to one GOP senator, who asked for anonymity to avoid political retribution.
Pudzer, a restaurant executive and Trump campaign supporter, had attracted widespread criticism regarding his business record and personal background. Additionally, a prominent conservative publication announced its opposition to the pick on Wednesday, saying that Puzder’s support for more legal immigration is at odds with Trump’s position.
Some Republican senators initially said they were withholding support until they could see how the political novice fared at his confirmation hearing, which was scheduled for Thursday morning. But as Wednesday progressed, it became clear to Republican Senate leaders that they did not have the votes to confirm him.
Puzder protests Jeff Curry / Getty Images
Protesters walk to a Hardee’s restaurant during a rally against Andrew Puzder’s nomination for labor secretary near the Hardee’s Headquarters on February 13, 2017 in St Louis, Missouri. The protesters feel that Mr. Puzder will not have the best interest of workers in mind due to his record of being a critic of raising the minimum wage as well as expansion of overtime pay, paid sick leave and the Affordable Care Act.
Protesters walk to a Hardee’s restaurant during a rally against Andrew Puzder’s nomination for labor secretary near the Hardee’s Headquarters on February 13, 2017 in St Louis, Missouri. The protesters feel that Mr. Puzder will not have the best interest of workers in mind due to his record of being a critic of raising the minimum wage as well as expansion of overtime pay, paid sick leave and the Affordable Care Act.
(Jeff Curry / Getty Images)
Puzder, the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, was set to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a long-delayed hearing amid a protracted review of his vast personal wealth, details of a rancorous divorce more than 25 years ago and revelations that his family once employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper.
Democrats on the panel who opposed Puzder were vowing to show racy images of bikini-clad models eating hamburgers that appeared in television commercials run by his restaurant chains. His supporters were planning to eat biscuits from Hardee’s – one of Puzder’s burger chains – for breakfast while tracking the hearing from a makeshift war room.
Before the hearing, Republicans were showing a notable level of skepticism about one of Trump’s last Cabinet nominees – and certainly the most imperiled – to proceed through Senate confirmation.
"He’s got an awful lot of people who speak highly of him, but all these nominees have a process that they have to go through where they’ve got to respond to the questions people have on their backgrounds and their records, and I want to have that opportunity," said Sen. John Thune, S.D., the third-ranking Senate Republican, among those withholding support.
Trump’s Labor nominee admits to employing a housekeeper who was in U.S. illegally Jim Puzzanghera
Andy Puzder, President Trump’s nominee for Labor secretary, admitted to employing a housekeeper who was an immigrant in the U.S. illegally, raising another potential problem for his confirmation amid Democratic criticism of his treatment of workers.
“My wife and I employed a housekeeper for a few…
Andy Puzder, President Trump’s nominee for Labor secretary, admitted to employing a housekeeper who was an immigrant in the U.S. illegally, raising another potential problem for his confirmation amid Democratic criticism of his treatment of workers.
“My wife and I employed a housekeeper for a few…
(Jim Puzzanghera)
Although Republicans had questions about Puzder’s personal employment practices, Democrats had planned to question him about allegations – long since recanted – that he assaulted his ex-wife, his past criticism of minimum-wage laws and his personnel practices, as well as advertising campaigns at his restaurant chains that women’s groups consider sexist.
"I expect straightforward and clear answers," Sen. Patty Murray, Wash., the top Democrat on the committee, said Wednesday as she met with representatives from women’s organizations that oppose Puzder.
As a restaurant executive, Puzder has spent much of his career speaking out against wage and labor regulations. The former commercial trial lawyer has been a staunch opponent of rules finalized by the Labor Department last year – and since put on hold – that would have expanded the number of people eligible for overtime pay. He also has been critical of substantially increasing the minimum wage, arguing that it could push companies to cut jobs and encourage businesses to invest more money in automation.
Puzder would have been the first labor secretary since the Ronald Reagan era to take the job without some public service experience. He made a minor foray into politics in 2011, when he served as an economic adviser and spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who recently endorsed his nomination.
In 2016, Puzder was an avid Trump supporter. In addition to serving as an economic adviser to his campaign, he and his wife, Deanna Puzder, contributed a total of $332,000 to Trump’s bid, joint fundraising committees and to the Republican National Committee, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Senators often do not weigh in on a nominee publicly until after a confirmation hearing, but Republicans have been mostly in lock-step to support Trump’s top Cabinet nominees. Only one other pick – Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state – drew as much public wavering among Republicans before his hearing, when five GOP senators expressed doubts. Ultimately, all of them voted for Tillerson.
In addition to Thune, Republican Sens. Rob Portman, Ohio, Thom Tillis, N.C., Susan Collins, Maine, Johnny Isakson, Ga., Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, and Tim Scott, S.C., said this week that they were on the fence regarding Puzder. Collins, Isakson, Murkowski and Scott sit on the HELP Committee while the others do not – signaling that the concerns about Puzder are widespread.
Thune’s hesitancy is notable because his leadership role makes him responsible for helping to build support for big-ticket GOP causes. But he told reporters Wednesday that he wanted to know more about why Puzder employed an undocumented housekeeper and how he paid her. Tillis cited the same concerns.
Puzder revealed to a Senate committee this month that he was unaware of the woman’s immigration status when he hired her. She was terminated and Puzder later paid federal and state back taxes.
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