Joe Biden Nominates Ex-Newsom Cabinet Member Julie Su as US Labor Secretary

President Joe Biden will nominate Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su to replace Marty Walsh as head of the Labor Department, the White House announced on Tuesday

The announcement set the stage for a contentious confirmation process after Julie Su was criticized by Republicans for a massive unemployment insurance scandal that occurred during her tenure as California's labor chief.

Joe Biden's Labor Secretary Julie Su

In a Tuesday statement, the White House referred to Su as a "proven and seasoned leader" and stated that she will work to develop a "more inclusive economy."

Julie Su, the former California secretary of labor, was approved for her present position by the US Senate by a razor-thin vote of 50-47 in July 2021. Last week, seven California Republican congressmen encouraged President Biden not to consider Julie Su for the job.

Members of Congress, led by California Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley, accused Su of supervising "one of the greatest examples of unemployment insurance fraud" during the epidemic and of adopting "one of the most devastating labor policies in decades" during her tenure as California's labor secretary.

According to reports, the state's Employment Development Bureau, which oversees unemployment benefits, paid scammers between $20 billion and $32 billion.

The most "infuriating" aspect of the problem, according to the letter sent on Friday, is that it "could have been easily averted had the state installed effective fraud prevention mechanisms."

At her confirmation hearings in 2021, Su contended that the deception was part of a criminal conspiracy that extended well beyond California, Fox News reported. Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, claimed during the hearings, "It is true that every state has battled, but California's difficulties dwarf all others. And none of their (other states') labor secretaries are seeking a promotion today."

In 2021, a state audit showed that local and international criminals targeted California during the COVID-19 epidemic by filing fake claims for unemployment benefits and fleeing with the money. Nearly $400 million in government funds were spent on tens of thousands of inmates, including 100 on death row.

Su had earlier stated in a news conference that insufficient security procedures had prevented the fraud from occurring. She then blamed the Trump administration for the fraud and backlog of unemployment claims, asserting that the former president's team did not provide sufficient advice to combat the fraud.

Biden was under pressure from congressional Democrats to appoint Su following early reaction for picking Walsh, who was then the mayor of Boston, at the start of his administration.

By selecting Walsh, Biden becomes the first president since George H. W. Bush without an Asian cabinet member, as per NY Post. Earlier this month, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus asked that Biden choose Su to replace Walsh, who resigned to become executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association beginning next month.

"The appointment of an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander to the Cabinet is long overdue," the caucus stated, using an abbreviation for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Democrats now hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, so Su is unlikely to be stopped unless opposition arises within her own party.

Two months after Biden's inauguration, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) threatened to obstruct confirmation of presidential candidates in response to West Wing adviser Jen O'Malley Dillon's "very disrespectful" statement dismissing concern about the absence of significant Asian selections.

Dillon is believed to have stated that Biden's opponents should be content with Vice President Kamala Harris, who was born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. Katherine Tai, the US Trade Representative, and Arati Prabhakar, the presidential scientific adviser, have cabinet-level posts without Senate confirmation.

Who is Julie Su?

Su was born in the United States to Chinese parents and attended Stanford and Harvard Law School. She would be the first Asian-American cabinet member confirmed by the Senate since Elaine Chao resigned as transportation secretary in January 2021.

In 2000, Norman Mineta became the first cabinet secretary of East Asian heritage, serving as commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton and as transportation secretary under President George W. Bush until July 2006.

Chao served as labor secretary for all eight of President George W. Bush's years in office. She was succeeded by three Asian-American cabinet secretaries under President Barack Obama: Energy Secretary Steven Chu (2009-2013), Veterans Affairs Secretary Erik Shinseki, who resigned in 2014 in the wake of the VA hospital negligence scandal, and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

If approved, Su would replace Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, who is resigning to lead the union representing National Hockey League players. Asian American groups urged Biden to choose Su, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, to succeed Walsh when he announced his departure.

Per USA Today, the White House referred to Su as a "fighter for workers" who has been a crucial ally to Walsh, including preventing a national rail shutdown. Prior to entering the Biden administration, Su led the California Department of Labor.