Excellent nomination, also one sure to piss off anti-worker Republicans.
Liberals and labor leaders hailed Mr. Perez, calling him a champion for workers and those who have faced discrimination. “At a time when our politics tilts so heavily toward corporations and the very wealthy, our country needs leaders like Tom Perez to champion the cause of ordinary working people,” said Richard L. Trumka, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.
James P. Hoffa, general president of the Teamsters, called Mr. Perez “the right choice” because of his history of advocacy. “In these difficult economic times,” Mr. Hoffa said, “workers need a fighter at the Labor Department who will stand up for them, and they are getting just that with Thomas Perez.”
While at the Justice Department, Mr. Perez has pursued a record number of discrimination or brutality claims against local police and sheriff’s departments, including that of Joe Arpaio, the outspoken sheriff in Maricopa County, Ariz., who was accused of “a pattern of unlawful discrimination” against Latinos.
P.S. The Democratic Party of Virginia says, “Congratulations to Tom Perez, Obama’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Labor. As the son of two immigrants, he understands the importance of preserving the American Dream and has spent his entire career fighting to keep the American dream within reach for hardworking middle class families and those striving to get into the middle class.”
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