WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2017 - Dogged by charges that he had employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper, his stance on immigration and other issues, Andy Puzder withdrew his nomination to be Secretary of Labor today.
Puzder said the decision came about “after careful consideration and discussions with my family.” He said he was “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.”
CNN said it had been told by a “senior GOP source” that four Republicans were firmly opposed to his nomination, but possibly as many as 12. His nomination hearing had been postponed four times.
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Reaction from Democrats was swift. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said on Twitter that Puzder “was not fit to serve as Labor Sec. Let's hope President Trump learns from this mistake & chooses a nominee who puts workers first.”
But Puzder was not just opposed by Democrats and the labor movement. Conservatives were also critical of the nomination. The National Review, for example, said he should not be confirmed, saying Puzder “has been a reliable font of clichés in favor of higher levels of legal immigration.”
Puzder is CEO of CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.
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