US secretary of labor nominee Andrew Puzder on Tuesday acknowledged that he had employed a housekeeper who was not authorized to work in the US, as the US Senate’s top Republican came to his defense and dismissed the issue as a “mistake” that had been fixed.
“Number one, the administration strongly supports Andy Puzder and wants to stick with him,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters.
“He’s qualified for the job, and for myself, I’m enthusiastically in his camp,” McConnell said.
It was not clear all Republicans were following McConnell’s lead on Puzder, whose confirmation process was already complicated by his delay in filing ethics documents and Democrats’ questions about how a fast food chief executive could be an effective advocate for US workers.
Puzder said in a statement that he and his wife were unaware the housekeeper was not legally permitted to work in the US during the years they employed her.
“When I learned of her status, we immediately ended her employment and offered her assistance in getting legal status,” Puzder said. “We have fully paid back taxes to the IRS and the State of California.”
A spokesman for Puzder confirmed that he paid the taxes after Trump nominated him for labor secretary on Dec. 9 last year.
Puzder spokesman George Thompson on Tuesday said that he remains committed to becoming labor secretary, and is working on divesting from his financial holdings and getting approval of the plan from the US Office of Government Ethics.
Asked if the housekeeper matter is disqualifying, Republican Senator Richard Burr said: “I don’t think it should be. It seems to have been cleared up.”
However, some Republicans on the Senate Health, Education, Welfare and Pensions Committee, which will consider the nomination, said they would look into the matter.
“It deserves our attention,” Senator Johnny Isakson said.
Senator Susan Collins, one of two Republicans to buck the Trump administration and vote against Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as secretary of education, said she wants to hear more from Puzder at his hearing.
Puzder’s confirmation hearing has been delayed at least three times, and committee Chairman Lamar Alexander has said he will not schedule it until Puzder has submitted required disclosures on such matters as how he would avoid conflicts of interest as head of CKE.
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