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Hardee's CEO says he'll divest assets to become Labor Secretary

February 2, 2017

Despiteuproar and a determined effort by some labor organizations to prevent it, the CEO of Hardee's and Carl's Jr. brands' parent company, CEO Andrew Puzder has said he'll separate from the role and his assets with the company to fill the role of Labor Secretary.  

Puzder was nominated to lead the nation's primary governmental organization devoted to the interests of American workers shortly after President  Donald Trump was elected. And just about every week since then, numerous groups representing labor, women's rights and other interests have spoken out against his confirmation. But according to the Associated Press Thursday, Puzder is now working to divest his assets in CKE, which owns both Hardee's and Carl's Jr. and is a privatey owned corporation. 

Puzder's spokesman, George Thompson, said that divesting assets in a privately owned company is "complex." Nonetheless, CKE said Puzder would relinquish his position with the company if confirmed, marking the first outward signs that he might try to avoid conflicts of interest.  

"I am fully committed to becoming secretary of labor and I am looking forward to my hearing," Puzder said Wednesday in a statement to The Associated Press.

However, the fast food magnate has failed to provide the ethics paperwork detailing his plans to remain free of conflicts of interest if he is confirmed as Labor Secretary, according to the Associated Press report. As a result, his confirmation hearing is indefinitely postponed.. 

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics typically requires Cabinet appointees to sell assets if owning them might conflict with the objective performance of official duties. The Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee ultimately votes on the nomination. But Senate Democrats and many other organizations nationally have questioned whether Puzder can fill the Labor Secretary's duties in the best interests of American workers since they claim under his leadership, CKE Restaurant Group has been accused of worker maltreatment.