Republicans want Labor nominee to stop lobbying for 'card check' bill

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-solis5-2009feb05,0,1738437.story


Evan Vucci, Associated Press
"I am not a registered lobbyist, nor do I in any way meet the statutory requirements for registration as a lobbyist," Rep. Hilda L. Solis said in a reply to questions from senators considering her nomination as Labor secretary.


In a written exchange with California Rep. Hilda L. Solis, GOP senators indicate their wariness of her ties to American Rights at Work, a tax-exempt group dedicated to helping workers unionize.

By Peter Nicholas
February 5, 2009

Reporting from Washington -- Underscoring the bitter debate over a proposal to make it easier for workers to form unions, Republican senators are suggesting that President Obama's pick for Labor secretary must recuse herself from lobbying for the bill's passage.

A Senate committee will vote today whether to confirm Rep. Hilda L. Solis, a Democrat from El Monte.

In a written exchange with Solis, Republican senators indicated they are wary of her ties to a tax-exempt group dedicated to helping workers unionize.

Solis is treasurer of the organization, American Rights at Work. Federal records show that the group lobbied Congress last year to pass the measure, known informally as "card check."

Under the bill, employees would be able to form bargaining units by filling out a card, rather than voting in an election by secret ballot. Business and labor are on opposite sides of the issue, and both are preparing aggressive campaigns as the bill, also known as the Employee Free Choice Act, comes before Congress.

American Rights at Work, for its part, participated in a rally on Capitol Hill on Wednesday in support of the measure, dropping off petitions at Senate offices.


FULL story at link.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Lemme get this straight.

Not OK for Labor Sec to have ties to unions.

OK for head of EPA or FDA, etc, to have run companies overseen by those departments.

[mn9driver]

2. Typical Republican hypocrisy and chutzpah

In the last 8 years, I wonder how many GOPer cabinet nominees pledged not to "lobby" for legislation that their supporters wanted? Would that number be zero? Yup. The LAT is pushing the narrative that Democrats must govern from the "center" (this means to do whatever the GOPers want) in order to make up for the "partisanship" of the last 16 years. If the Dems continue to buy this garbage and try to make nice, the GOP will successfully wreck any chance of fixing the mess we're in.

Sadly, I think they might fall for this--just like Charlie Brown and the football. :puke: