Sunday, January 11, 2009

Hilda Solis deflects Repub questions over union issues

Reporting from Washington -- Senate Republicans spent much of Friday morning trying to draw Barack Obama's choice for Labor secretary, Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-El Monte), into a fight over union issues.

But she gave them little ammunition, repeatedly refusing to express her opinion on hotly contested issues such as organizing rights. And at the end of her relatively brief confirmation hearing, Solis' nomination did not appear to be endangered.

Republicans are concerned that Solis, a strong supporter of unions in her eight years in the House, will bring a pro-union bias to the Labor Department.

"This is a very important position," said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah). "It can't be used to magnify one side over the other or any side over the other. It has to be handled fairly."

Hatch, however, said he would support Solis' nomination.

Read on.

Looks like Rep. Solis is closed to nomination.. Also this:

Former Obama staffer to seek Solis's seat


A 26-year-old member of President-elect Barack Obama's transition team announced his candidacy for the congressional seat held by Labor Secretary-designate Hilda Solis Saturday in a speech at his high school alma mater.
Emanuel Pleitez made the announcement at Wilson High School, joining a field that also includes fellow Democrats Sen. Gil Cedillo and state Board of Equalization Chairwoman Judy Chu.

Pleitez says he is a member of the Obama transition team's review team for the Department of the Treasury. It is responsible for making a thorough review of the department to provide Obama, Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and key advisors with information needed to make policy, budgetary and personnel decisions before the inauguration.

Pleitez's resume says he has been a financial analyst with the Securities Division of the investment bank Goldman, Sachs & Co.; a special assistant to then-City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa and an organizer with John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

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