WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he will nominate lawyer Eugene Scalia to be his new labor secretary.
Scalia is the son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He is a partner in the Washington office of the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm.
Trump tweets that Scalia "is highly respected not only as a lawyer, but as a lawyer with great experience working with labor and everyone else."
Trump's previous labor secretary, Alexander Acosta, resigned last week. Acosta has come under renewed criticism for his handling of a 2008 secret plea deal with wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of sexually abusing underage girls.
I am pleased to announce that it is my intention to nominate Gene Scalia as the new Secretary of Labor. Gene has led a life of great success in the legal and labor field and is highly respected not only as a lawyer, but as a lawyer with great experience....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2019