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Trump Taps Scalia as Labor Secretary

Government Affairs

While there’s likely a rocky confirmation road ahead, President Trump has announced (via tweet) his choice as the next Secretary of Labor.

“I am pleased to announce that it is my intention to nominate Gene Scalia as the new Secretary of Labor,” Trump tweeted Thursday evening. “Gene has led a life of great success in the legal and labor field and is highly respected not only as a lawyer, but as a lawyer with great experience…working with labor and everyone else.”

Scalia is being nominated for the post just vacated by Alex Acosta in the wake of controversy regarding a plea deal he negotiated more than a decade ago with wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.  

Scalia, 55, is, of course, the son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Now a partner at the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Scalia served as solicitor of the Labor Department during the administration of President George W. Bush, a position he was given via a recess appointment because the then-Democratic-controlled Senate was slow in confirming him for the role.

However, what’s sure to be raised by some opponents (and perhaps supporters) is his role as counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce appellants in litigation that was ultimately successful in challenging the Labor Department’s attempted rewrite of the fiduciary rule.  

Buckle up!