The Associated Press has reported that Andrew Puzder has withdrawn as Labor Secretary nominee. He has released this statement:
“After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor,” he said in the 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. 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.”
Twitter and the media lit up this afternoon over rumors that Puzder would withdraw his nomination for Labor Secretary. From Fox News:
Puzder was scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a hearing on Thursday. Sources told Fox News he is expected to either withdraw his nomination, or have it withdrawn by the White House.In recent days, Puzder’s high-profile divorce including past abuse allegations from his ex-wife; revelations that his family had hired an undocumented immigrant as their housekeeper; and his business background have cast a harsh spotlight on the nominee.His ex-wife has retracted her allegations, but the issue has hung over his nomination.
Politico published an Oprah clip of 1990 of Puzder’s ex-wife when she made allegations of spousal abuse. But not so surprisingly, the headline didn’t include her admitting she used those allegations for her advantage:
During the episode, titled “High Class Battered Women,” Lisa Fierstein, Puzder’s ex-wife, said he told her, “I will see you in the gutter. This will never be over. You will pay for this.” Fierstein also said she called the police on him.Fierstein divorced Puzder in 1987. Eight months after appearing on “Oprah,” she retracted her allegations of domestic abuse as part of a child custody agreement. She said repeatedly thereafter that the allegations were a tactic to gain leverage in her divorce.
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