Drew Angerer/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, has formally withdrawn himself from consideration for the position, Puzder announced Wednesday, a rare move for a Cabinet-level pick.
I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor. I’m honored to have been considered and am grateful to all who have supported me.
— Andy Puzder (@AndyPuzder) February 15, 2017
Puzder came under scrutiny after admitting earlier this month that he had employed an undocumented worker for years and revelations that his wife had alleged abuse stemming from a 1990 tape. She
has since withdrawn those allegations and Puzder — whose confirmation hearing was set for tomorrow after being rescheduled four times — has denied wrongdoing.
“After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor,” Puzder said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
Puzder’s withdrawal marks the first unsuccessful nomination of the Trump administration. Eleven of his 23 Cabinet-level picks are yet to be confirmed.
Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer has been calling on Puzder, who heads CKE Restaurants, which owns Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., to withdraw for more than a week. Several GOP Senators have also
hinted at reservations during his nomination process. He had not yet gone through a hearing in front of a U.S. Senate panel.
“My wife and I employed a housekeeper for a few years, during which I was unaware that she was not legally permitted to work in the U.S. When I learned of her status, we immediately ended her
employment and offered her assistance in getting legal status. We have fully paid back taxes to the IRS and the State of California and submitted all required paperwork regarding her employment,”
Puzder said in a statement.
At the time, Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell defended Puzder. “He realized the mistake, he fixed it and I think is eminently qualified for the job,” he told reporters last week.
Puzder’s ex-wife also retracted allegations made on Oprah that her ex-husband abused her and senators have viewed the video. “The damage that I sustained you can’t see,” she said on the show,
according to a video obtained by ABC News. “It’s permanent, permanent damage, but there’s no mark and there never was. They don’t hit you in the face. They’re too smart. They don’t hit you in front
of everyone.”
She later wrote an emotional letter to members of the Senate panel articulating her retraction of the allegations.
President Barack Obama had three nominees withdraw their nominations, though only one of them formally withdrew by submitting paperwork to the Senate, the Senate said. Only 10 Cabinet-level
nominees have ever formally withdrawn their nominations, according to the U.S Senate.
On Wednesday, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine — a GOP swing vote on Puzder’s nomination — told ABC News it was possible that Puzder could address some of her concerns in the hearing tomorrow. “It’s
very difficult to assess. I don’t know what he is going to say in his hearing and how he is going to perform.”
“I still have unanswered questions,” agreed Republican Sen. Tim Scott, of South Carolina, who also spoke Wednesday morning. “That’s why we were having a hearing and I was looking forward to asking
my questions…. I think it’s appropriate for us to continue to get the questions answered.”
Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.