Keith Sonderling’s background as a policy wonk inside government and lack of outward partisanship sets him apart from prior nominees to lead of the Labor Department, indicating the Trump administration wants a DOL chief to be a bridge between its working-class voting base and the business leaders it aims to keep loyal.
His predecessor, former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, was expected to fulfill this purpose with backing from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, but her tenure was ultimately derailed by a series of scandals that led to her resignation. Sonderling had effectively run the department day-to-day while Chavez-DeRemer traveled on a tour of America and has been serving as acting secretary since April.
“Sometimes, secretaries want to be the star of the show,” said Paul DeCamp, an employer-side partner at Epstein Becker & Green PC and former Wage and Hour Administrator under President George W. Bush. “Keith is not like that.”
Despite his policy chops, Sonderling’s ability to leave a legacy could ultimately be hindered by agency staffing cuts and a White House reluctant to fund his initiatives.
Sonderling will face the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday, seeking to replicate his largely uneventful prior confirmation hearing for the number two spot at the department. If confirmed, he would be the youngest-ever labor secretary.
President Donald Trump is “confident” in Sonderling’s ability to permanently take the...
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