Thread: Trump's fast-food CEO pick for Labor Secretary expected to drop out after attacks

Trump's fast-food CEO pick for Labor Secretary expected to drop out after attacks from left and right

• Kate Taylor and Ashley Lutz

President-elect Donald Trump and Andy Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants, shake hands as Puzder leaves Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse in Bedminster, N.J., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016.AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Labor, is expected to drop out of the running for the position just a day before his confirmation hearing.

NBC News senior correspondent Peter Alexander tweeted that Puzder is likely to withdraw from consideration for the position. Fox Business was also reporting the news.

On Wednesday, CNN reported that top Republicans in the Senate encouraged the White House to withdraw Puzder's nomination, due to concerns that the fast-food CEO would not receive the necessary votes to be confirmed. A senior GOP source told CNN that at least four Republicans planned to vote against Puzder, and that up to 12 senators could vote against his confirmation.

The White House didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Puzder, who was CEO of CKE Restaurants — the parent company of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's — is a vocal opponent of raising the minimum wage and of the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the policies result in lower employment rates.

He has faced criticism from the left for his past opposition of overtime pay and raising the minimum wage, as well as Carl's Jr and Hardee's history of breaking the law by underpaying workers, a common issue in the fast-food industry.

"I gave more than 20 years of my life to CKE, and Mr. Puzder took a company that I loved and turned it into a business that makes money by stealing from its workers," Laura McDonald, a former Carl's Jr. general manager, said in a recent forum hosted by Senate Democrats.

On the right, Puzder has faced criticism for his pro-immigration stance. While in December, Puzder stated that to "hire American and buy American is our policy," in 2015 the fast-food CEO criticized Republican candidates for their anti-immigration policies.

Puzder's personal life has also raised questions. Politico obtained a tape of Puzder's ex-wife, Lisa Fierstein, on Oprah, saying that he had "vowed revenge" on her when she claimed her had abused her. Fierstein later retracted her allegations of domestic abuse.

Puzder also admitted to employing an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper, despite the Trump administration’s strong condemnation of illegal immigration.

http://www.businessinsider.com/labor...rop-out-2017-2

I really hope he sticks it out because I think after people hear him in his hearings they'll see why Trump thinks he the right person for the job at this time. He didn't know the housekeeper was an illegal alien, and this was many years ago, I think 5 years ago that he found out and fired her, so it's old news.

A lot of Republicans were against raising the minimum wage, in fact Republicans in Congress blocked raising the minimum wage for over 10 years. Talk about hypocrites!! We have illegal immigration because of people in both parties. The only reason there's any hope of stopping illegal immigration in the United States is because of Donald Trump.

So I trust Trump's judgment on this, not a few members of Congress who talk out of one side of their mouths but act out of the other. If Puzder doesn't want to go through the attacks, I certainly understand that, but I hope he stays in. If he doesn't, well, that's okay, too.

Trump Labor Nominee Andrew Puzder Withdraws, First Trump Cabinet Failure

February 15, 20173:25 PM ET
Yuki Noguchi

Updated at 4:15 p.m. ET

Fast food executive Andrew Puzder withdrew his nomination to head the Labor Department on Wednesday as his support on Capitol Hill faltered. Facing criticism from both sides of the aisle, Puzder became the first Trump Cabinet pick whose nomination failed.

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/15/515425...rs-in-jeopardy

This is fantastic news! I've made it no secret, I have despised this choice for Secretary of Labor from the beginning. He has pushed relentlessly for illegal alien amnesty and more foreign labor. Furthermore, to actually have an illegal alien working for you for several years and claim you didn't know she was illegal is just ludicrous. Oh, and the report that he is a wife abuser certainly didn't help his case.

IMO, nominating this guy for Secretary of Labor was one of Trump's biggest mistakes in his young presidency!

Horrible, horrible, horrible choice and now, unfortunately, it has turned around and bit him on the butt.

I agree with you on this one MW...I just did not like this guy. He may have been a good business man...but I did not like his character.

Good he withdrew now, the right thing to do...now let's move on and get the right guy on the job.

Trump has his work cut out for him...and he has taken it coming from all sides. It will take him more time to get his team in place...but when he does...watch out DemoRATS, the Media, Soros and NWO!!!