Staff Reports
In a stunning and satisfying turn of events, the Senate has sent President Biden’s choice for labor secretary, Julie Su, back packing to the White House as they closed out their session. Julie Su was unable to impress the Senate with her qualifications, prompting strong words from Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who confidently stated that Ms. Su was simply not up to par. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also chimed in, highlighting Su’s questionable handling of $31.4 billion in payments to fraudsters during her time as California’s labor secretary.
Acting labor secretary Julie Su’s nomination returned to the White House https://t.co/9n9puEvTAs pic.twitter.com/bvojRn1EHU
— New York Post (@nypost) December 21, 2023
But that’s not all. Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat from West Virginia, also voiced his opposition to Su’s nomination, citing concerns about her “progressive” background. He made it clear that he believes the leader of the Department of Labor should be capable of uniting labor and industry, something he doubts Su can accomplish. It’s safe to say that Su’s track record and political leanings have certainly caused quite a stir and rubbed some important people the wrong way.
To make matters even more embarrassing for Su, she has now found herself in the spotlight for serving the longest stretch as an acting Cabinet-level official without confirmation, a whopping 281 days! It seems like her nomination woes have turned into a never-ending saga of rejection and disappointment. The White House has come to her defense by pledging to renominate her in the new year, but at this point, it’s hard to see how she can bounce back from this resounding defeat.
With her questionable track record and lack of bipartisan support, it’s no wonder Julie Su’s nomination has hit a dead end. It’s clear that she has failed to gain the trust and approval of key figures in the Senate, and her history of mismanaging billions of dollars in California certainly doesn’t help her case.
President Biden will now have to decide whether to push for Su’s nomination once again or to seek out a more suitable candidate to lead the Department of Labor. Only time will tell if Julie Su can recover from this political beatdown and earn the support she so desperately needs.
