Posted on 04/21/2013 6:58:35 PM PDT by markomalley
As the Senate takes up Barack Obamas nomination of Thomas Perez to replace Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, it seems that Perez is turning into a headline makerand not in a good way for the Obama Administration.
During his Senate confirmation hearing last Thursday, Perez affirmed what many already knewbut the Obama Administration has been loathe to admitthat the real unemployment rate is actually double what the Administration touts.
To make matters even more embarrassing for the Obama Administration, according to a report in the Washington Free Beacon, Perez may have illegally been leaking information to outside groups via his personal e-mail.
Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) said it appears Perez used his personal email account almost 1,200 times since 2009 to conduct official department business, including communicating with organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the New York Times, and Talking Points Memo.
Issa wrote that he received a letter from the Justice Departments principal deputy assistant attorney general for Legislative Affairs, Peter J. Kadzik, conceding Perez had committed at least 34 violations of the Federal Records Act. [Emphasis added.]
While the revelations about Perezs possible violations of the law are new, Perezs radicalism at the Department of Justices (DOJ) Civil Rights Division have been noted for some time.
In July 2011, Perez gave remarks to a National Council of La Raza (NCLR) luncheon for which, according to Bretbarts Kerry Picket, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House Oversight Committee accused Perez of engaging in political activism.
To further add to Obamas embarrassment, while Perez was heading the DOJs Civil Rights Division, according to a DOJ Inspector Generals 300-page report, there were bitter divisions and racial hostility during his tenure.
Although, according to a Politico piece, Perez responded to the criticism by stating that the probe did not find sufficient evidence to demonstrate that racial or political bias affected litigation decisions this hasnt made Perez any less controversial.
The Heritage Foundations James Sherk notes that every attorney hired at the Civil Rights Division after 2009 has a background in left-wing activism, Perez did not hire one moderate, non-ideological, or conservative applicant.
One former DOJ employee who resigned due to Perezs handling of the 2008 voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party told the Washington Free Beacon that Perez is most extreme cabinet appointee in 70 years.
People like Perez are very skillful at creatively ignoring the law to suit their own ends.
Another issue that apparently has not generated much questioning from Republicans on the Senate HELP committee is Perezs views on the proposed change to the Department of Labors Persuader Rule.
As noted here on RedState in July, 2011, DOLs Hilda Solis & Company proposed a radical change to the interpretation of a 1959 law that requires employers to report moneys spent on consultants who assist them during union organizing campaigns.
While the original law was written to curb union corruption, employer payments to consultants who meet directly with employees to persuade them in the exercise of the Section Seven rights (union or concerted activity) have always been reportable.
However, unions have long sought to expand the DOLs interpretation to include the employers hiring of attorneys who provide counsel on labor relations issues.
The problem, however, came with how broadly the DOL drafted the change. The DOLs proposal was so broadly written that just about any type of outside help an employer brought in to assist in its labor relations and even its employee relations or human resources would likely be viewed as reportable.
If setting up an employee handbook, doing a employee opinion survey, establishing roundtable meetings, or safety committeessince a positive workplace negates having a union and indirectly keeps unions outthen, literally, every human resources consultant would likely fall into the DOLs new definition of persuader and will be required to file reports.
If the employer failed to report the monies paid, or the consultant (or lawyer) failed to report the income received, it could lead to criminal charges.
Although the proposed rule change would catch many of the Administrations own allies in the persuader pool, there were other, more pertinent points raised by many (including the American Bar Association) that has caused delay in the proposed rules implementation.
Now, if confirmed, the persuader rule will come under Perezs reign at the Department of Laborwhich means he will be responsible for enforcing it.
This raises some ironic ethical considerations according to IndustryWeek:
An ethically problematic labor regulation should be enforced and interpreted by a labor secretary who is above reproach. [Emphasis added.]
Above reproach? That is not Thomas Perez.
If the Senate goes ahead and confirms Perez, one thing is certain: The ammunition he gives will be fodder for business writers and bloggers for the next several years. For the Obama Administration, Perez will turn out to be the embarrassing gift that just keeps on giving.
______________________
Truth isnt mean. Its truth.
Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)
He’s all but approved by the good old boys club.
ping
Then prosecute his ass - pronto. Issa is just another phoney, what has he ever accomplished except collecting a whole bunch of Greta coffe mugs from being on her show, whining about the latest crimes and stonewalling from this administration but not realizing this administration plays him for the fool that he is and he goes on TV to confirm it.
Perez is a prick (in the eye of justice).
Ping to self for later read
He'll get a pass because he is Hispanic...the Republicans will be too cowardly to speak up.
Another radical that should be given the trap door treatment but won’t. I wish there was at least one Senator who claims to be “conservative” which understands all these appointments are leading US to disaster.
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