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President Donald Trump picks Alexander Acosta for Secretary of Labor

Published  February 16, 2017 11:53am CST
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FOX 32 Chicago
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WASHINGTON (WJBK/AP) - President Donald Trump says law school dean R. Alexander Acosta is his new choice for secretary of labor.

The president announced the nomination the day after his original pick, Andrew Puzder, withdrew after it became clear he lacked enough Republican votes for Senate confirmation.

Acosta has served on the National Labor Relations Board and as a federal prosecutor in Florida. Former President George W. Bush named him assistant attorney general for civil rights.

Puzder withdrew on the eve of his confirmation hearing because Republicans balked at an array of personal and professional issues. Puzder said he had employed -- and belatedly paid taxes on -- a housekeeper not authorized to work in the United States.

"The man I'll be announcing for labor is a star, great person," Trump said as he opened a meeting with some of his staunchest supporters in the House.

Acosta is a Florida native and has served in three different presidentially-appointed, senate-confirmed positions including the National Labor Relations Board, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division.

Here are six things to know about the nominee, from FOX News:

  • He currently is dean of Florida International University College of Law and chairman of U.S. Century Bank.
  • Prior to becoming the dean at FIU, Acosta served as the first Hispanic assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department under the George W. Bush administration and was U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
  • He served as a member of the National Labor Relations Board.
  • The Miami native graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Economics, as well as from Harvard Law School.
  • He practiced law at the firm of Kirkland & Ellis before teaching at the George Mason School of Law.
  • He also serves or has served on the Florida Innocence Commission, Florida Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism, Florida Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission and the American Bar Association’s Commission for Hispanic Rights and Responsibilities.
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