Trump's fast-food CEO pick for labor secretary expected to drop out
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
NBC News senior correspondent Peter Alexander tweeted that Andrew Puzder is likely to withdraw from consideration for the position. Fox Business was also reporting the news.
On Wednesday, CNN reported that top Republicans in the Senate encouraged the White House to withdraw Puzder's nomination, due to concerns that the fast-food CEO would not receive the necessary votes to be confirmed. A senior GOP source told CNN that at least four Republicans planned to vote against Puzder, and that up to 12 senators could vote against his confirmation.
Puzder who was CEO of CKE Restaurant Group, has faced criticism from the left for his past opposition of overtime pay and raising the minimum wage, as well as Carl's Jr and Hardee's history of wage theft, or breaking the law by underpaying workers, a common issue in the fast-food industry.
"I gave more than 20 years of my life to CKE, and Mr. Puzder took a company that I loved and turned it into a business that makes money by stealing from its workers," Laura McDonald, a former Carl's Jr. general manager, said in a recent forum hosted by Senate Democrats.
On the right, Puzder has faced criticism for his pro-immigration stance. While in December, Puzder stated that to "hire American and buy American is our policy," in 2015 the fast-food CEO criticized Republican candidates for their anti-immigration policies.
Puzder's personal life has also raised questions. Politico obtained a tape of Puzder's ex-wife, Lisa Fierstein, on Oprah, saying that he had "vowed revenge" on her when she claimed her had abused her. Fierstein later retracted her allegations of domestic abuse.
The White House didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
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