Republicans are questioning Labor Designate Hilda Solis’ previous unpaid position with Americans Rights at Work (ARW), a non-profit labor rights think tank. Earlier this week, conservative blogs began writing about a story that originally appeared in the right-leaning Weekly Standard. The story accuses Solis of violating House ethics rules by lobbying her fellow legislators on a bill that she co-sponsored, known informally as “card check”. The attempts to discredit Solis in the blogsphere go hand in hand with actions on Capitol Hill as the Republican lawmakers e GOP is trying to make it an ethical issue because she served as ARW treasurer on the board and have placed an indefinite hold on her nomination.
Labor and Hispanic groups are hitting back and expressing outrage. The cabinet’s only Latina candidate has worked her whole life for the rights of workers and proudly been a voice for Latinos, there could not be a more perfect candidate for the Secretary of Labor.
“This is just harassment,” says Scott Lilly, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said of the questions raised about Solis. “I haven’t seen anything that has been raised that looks like a truly substantive question about whether President Obama should have her serve him as labor secretary.”
The Senate Health Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee is scheduled to take up the Solis nomination in a closed door session today at 2 pm.
National Latino organizations are urging all to contact Republican Senators today who sit on the HELP Committee and and may intend to further delay a confirmation vote for Hilda Solis.
Michael B. Enzi (WY) 202/224-3424 202/228-0359
Judd Gregg (NH) 202/224-3324 202/224-4952
Lamar Alexander (TN) 202/224-4944 202/228-3398
Richard Burr (NC) 202/224-3154 202/228-2981
Johnny Isakson (GA) 202/224-3643 202/228-0724
John McCain (AZ) 202/224-2235 202/228-2862
Orrin G. Hatch (UT) 202/224-5251 202/224-6331
Lisa Murkowski (AK) 202/224-6665 202/224-5301
Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK) 202/224-5754 202/224-6008
Pat Roberts (KS) 202/224-4774 202/224-3514
The possible delay of Solis’s confirmation is seen by some as the beginning of a contentious relationship between Obama’s Labor Department and congressional Republicans.
USHCC: ACT NOW- Gets Solis Confirmed as Secretary of Labor
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It’s actions like this that will make it impossible for Republicans to ever get support from Latinos. Their short-sighted obstructionist games will cost them in the long run as they will not make any progress expanded their party’s membership into our communities.
They can “lose” now by getting out of way of Hilda Solis’ nomination. Or they can lose later by diminishing their chances of Latinos joining their party. Either way they will lose!