Acosta named as choice for labor head

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Seeking a surer bet to fill out his Cabinet, President Donald Trump on Thursday moved quickly to name law school dean Alexander Acosta as his new choice for labor secretary – a day after Andrew Puzder abruptly withdrew from consideration.

If confirmed by the Senate, Acosta would be the first Hispanic member of Trump’s Cabinet.

Trump and key Republicans highlighted a key detail in Acosta’s resume: He has won unanimous Senate confirmation three times – to a seat on the National Labor Relations Board, as the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and as U.S. attorney in Miami.

“He did very, very well,” Trump, said in a brief statement to start a White House press conference that was dominated by other challenges facing the new administration. Acosta did not appear with him.

Almost immediately, Acosta’s prospects looked better than Puzder’s had after months of attacks on his personal life, statements and career as a fast-food CEO.

“Mr. Acosta’s nomination is off to a good start because he’s already been confirmed by the Senate three times,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate panel that will hold Acosta’s confirmation hearing.

Leading Democrats and their allies vowed to hold Acosta “accountable” as the head of an agency charged with enforcing worker protections.

But their reactions were muted compared to the scathing response to Puzder’s nomination in December, when his opponents paraded out worker after worker who complained of shoddy treatment at Puzder’s company’s restaurants, which include Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. And they questioned how well Puzder could advocate for workers after a career atop CKE Restaurants Inc.