The quick headline
The Senate gave Keith Sonderling the green light Wednesday to run the Department of Labor, approving his nomination in a mostly party-line vote.
The vote in plain terms
Lawmakers voted 47 to 41 to confirm him. It was the last big item on the Senate’s agenda before many members scattered to campaign for the upcoming midterms.
Who is Keith Sonderling?
Sonderling has been handling Labor Department duties since late April, after stepping in as acting secretary. He previously worked at the Department of Labor and at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during the previous presidential administration, and before that he practiced employment and labor law at a law firm in Florida.
How he got here
The White House formally nominated him in June, praising his track record and saying he’d deliver results for American workers. After serving as the acting chief for several weeks, the Senate’s confirmation made his role official.
Why his predecessor left
His predecessor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, left the post for the private sector in April amid growing scrutiny. Her exit followed a series of Cabinet changes and reporting that the department’s internal watchdog was investigating her conduct.
The inspector general’s findings
The Labor Department inspector general published a lengthy report earlier this month that criticized the workplace climate under Chavez-DeRemer, saying it was rife with intimidation and humiliation and that multiple department rules had been breached. The report mentioned Sonderling only briefly, noting there was tension and distrust between him and Chavez-DeRemer’s inner circle.
So what now?
Sonderling steps into the job with a confirmation behind him and a department still dealing with the fallout from the inspector general’s findings. Expect some steady administration of routines — and probably some political theater — as the agency moves forward while campaigns ramp up around the country.
