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thisfinecrew2017-03-11 04:50 pm
tanaqui) wrote in thisfinecrew2017-03-11 04:50 pm
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Confirmation Hearings - Secretary of Labor: Alex Acosta
Nomination of Alex Acosta to serve as Secretary of Labor
When: Wednesday 15 March 2017 from 1.30pm
Committee Members: (as at 10 Mar) Chairman: Senator Lamar Alexander (TN), Senator Michael B. Enzi (R - WY), Senator Richard Burr (R - NC), Senator Johnny Isakson (R - GA), Senator Rand Paul (R - KY), Senator Susan M. Collins (R - ME), Senator Bill Cassidy (R - LA), Senator Todd Young (R - IN), Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R- UT), Senator Pat Roberts (R - KS), Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK), Senator Tim Scott (R - SC), Ranking Member: Senator Patty Murray (D - WA), Senator Bernard Sanders (D - VT), Senator Robert P. Casey (D - PA), Senator Al Franken (D - MN), Senator Michael F. Bennet (D - CO), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D - RI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D - WI), Senator Christopher Murphy (D - CT), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D - MA), Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA), Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D - NH)
What the committee should be concerned about: Alex Acosta is a former Justice Department official and current dean of Florida International University (FIU) College of Law who has previously been confirmed by the Senate three times for other positions. Acosta was chosen as the nominee after Andrew Puzder withdrew following scrutiny of his business and personal affairs.
Acosta has a history of public service, having clerked for Justice Samuel Alito when he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; served on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for two years under President George W. Bush; become an assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division; and served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida before joining FIU.
Acosta's background is not without controversy: during his time as a U.S. Attorney, he allegedly cut a sweetheart deal with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, accused of having sex with dozens of underage girls, to not file federal charges if Epstein pleaded guilty to a number of state charges. However, during the same period, his office prosecuted the lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the terrorism suspect Jose Padilla, founders of the Cali cartel and several bank-related cases, and targeted health care fraud.
Acosta has also been criticised for ignoring warning signs during his time in the justice department that staff were being hired and assigned cases based on their political views, and for his justification of "vote caging", regarded as a Republican strategy for disenfranchising African-American citizens by getting private citizens to challenge their eligibility.
On the positive side, testifying before Congress in 2011 about the civil rights of American Muslims, Acosta made a forceful appeal that they should be viewed as any other American community would, arguing that “Now is a good time to remember that no community has a monopoly on any particular type of crime." Meanwhile Wilma Liebman, a Democratic member of the NLRB, has spoken positively about his time on the board, describing him as "a good colleague… always willing to talk" and saying that while unions may not “be thrilled with every decision he’ll make...they’ll get a good hearing.” Richard L. Trumka, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. (the federation of labour unions) also cautiously welcomed Acosta's nomination, saying, "We’ve gone from a fast-food chain C.E.O. who routinely violates labor law to a public servant with experience enforcing it."
Acosta's parents were Cuban immigrants and he would become the first Hispanic member of Trump's cabinet. Unlike many of Trump's nominees, including Puzder, Acosta would face a fairly uncomplicated process to separate himself from his current interests, which mostly involve his position at Florida International University and a place on the board (and associated financial interests) at U.S Century Bank, a community bank headquartered in Miami.
Suggested action: While it's a low bar to clear, Acosta seems a decent pick by the standards of the current administration, with relevant experience in public service, a sensible view of Muslims, and cautious support from labor organisations and Democrats. While the negatives about him, such as his justification of "vote caging", are unpleasant, they don't seem particularly extreme for a Republican nominee and are unlikely to be things that will convince the Republican members of the Committee to vote against him. So I don't think it's worth taking the time to call about this one (especially given the urgency on issues such as the new travel ban and assault on the ACA/Medicaid) -- but please let us know in comments if there are strong reasons the committee should reject the nomination.
Housekeeping note: This is the only Cabinet-level nomination hearing this week, although various Senate Committees have been holding hearings over the last month into (generally less contentious) lower-level positions that require Senate approval before being filled.
When: Wednesday 15 March 2017 from 1.30pm
Committee Members: (as at 10 Mar) Chairman: Senator Lamar Alexander (TN), Senator Michael B. Enzi (R - WY), Senator Richard Burr (R - NC), Senator Johnny Isakson (R - GA), Senator Rand Paul (R - KY), Senator Susan M. Collins (R - ME), Senator Bill Cassidy (R - LA), Senator Todd Young (R - IN), Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R- UT), Senator Pat Roberts (R - KS), Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK), Senator Tim Scott (R - SC), Ranking Member: Senator Patty Murray (D - WA), Senator Bernard Sanders (D - VT), Senator Robert P. Casey (D - PA), Senator Al Franken (D - MN), Senator Michael F. Bennet (D - CO), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D - RI), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D - WI), Senator Christopher Murphy (D - CT), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D - MA), Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA), Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D - NH)
What the committee should be concerned about: Alex Acosta is a former Justice Department official and current dean of Florida International University (FIU) College of Law who has previously been confirmed by the Senate three times for other positions. Acosta was chosen as the nominee after Andrew Puzder withdrew following scrutiny of his business and personal affairs.
Acosta has a history of public service, having clerked for Justice Samuel Alito when he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; served on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for two years under President George W. Bush; become an assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division; and served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida before joining FIU.
Acosta's background is not without controversy: during his time as a U.S. Attorney, he allegedly cut a sweetheart deal with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, accused of having sex with dozens of underage girls, to not file federal charges if Epstein pleaded guilty to a number of state charges. However, during the same period, his office prosecuted the lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the terrorism suspect Jose Padilla, founders of the Cali cartel and several bank-related cases, and targeted health care fraud.
Acosta has also been criticised for ignoring warning signs during his time in the justice department that staff were being hired and assigned cases based on their political views, and for his justification of "vote caging", regarded as a Republican strategy for disenfranchising African-American citizens by getting private citizens to challenge their eligibility.
On the positive side, testifying before Congress in 2011 about the civil rights of American Muslims, Acosta made a forceful appeal that they should be viewed as any other American community would, arguing that “Now is a good time to remember that no community has a monopoly on any particular type of crime." Meanwhile Wilma Liebman, a Democratic member of the NLRB, has spoken positively about his time on the board, describing him as "a good colleague… always willing to talk" and saying that while unions may not “be thrilled with every decision he’ll make...they’ll get a good hearing.” Richard L. Trumka, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. (the federation of labour unions) also cautiously welcomed Acosta's nomination, saying, "We’ve gone from a fast-food chain C.E.O. who routinely violates labor law to a public servant with experience enforcing it."
Acosta's parents were Cuban immigrants and he would become the first Hispanic member of Trump's cabinet. Unlike many of Trump's nominees, including Puzder, Acosta would face a fairly uncomplicated process to separate himself from his current interests, which mostly involve his position at Florida International University and a place on the board (and associated financial interests) at U.S Century Bank, a community bank headquartered in Miami.
Suggested action: While it's a low bar to clear, Acosta seems a decent pick by the standards of the current administration, with relevant experience in public service, a sensible view of Muslims, and cautious support from labor organisations and Democrats. While the negatives about him, such as his justification of "vote caging", are unpleasant, they don't seem particularly extreme for a Republican nominee and are unlikely to be things that will convince the Republican members of the Committee to vote against him. So I don't think it's worth taking the time to call about this one (especially given the urgency on issues such as the new travel ban and assault on the ACA/Medicaid) -- but please let us know in comments if there are strong reasons the committee should reject the nomination.
Housekeeping note: This is the only Cabinet-level nomination hearing this week, although various Senate Committees have been holding hearings over the last month into (generally less contentious) lower-level positions that require Senate approval before being filled.