GOP Members Voice Opposition to Labor Solicitor Nominee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today joined the entire Republican membership of the HELP Committee in writing Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to voice opposition to the nomination of Patricia Smith to be Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor.

“Our concerns with Ms. Smith’s nomination arise out of statements that she made before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that are in direct conflict with official documents from the State of New York,” wrote the Senators. “Subsequent statements by Ms. Smith intended to clarify the discrepancies do not alleviate our concerns about her candor, and raise additional questions about her ability to manage the Solicitor’s office.”

Smith’s nomination is scheduled to be considered by the full HELP Committee tomorrow.Enzi also voiced similar concerns regarding Smith in an August 24, 2009 letter to President Obama in which he requested the withdrawal of her nomination.

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