Herman to Get Hearing

THE DAILY FED

Herman to Get Hearing

White House officials today said Senate Labor and Human Resources Chairman James Jeffords, R-Vt., told them Thursday he would set a date "soon" for a confirmation hearing for Labor Secretary- designate Alexis Herman.

Jeffords told White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles he had a few questions he needed answered about Herman, however, before he could set a hearing date, White House aide Joe Lockhart told reporters. Lockhart said he did not know the specifics of Jeffords' outstanding concerns, and Jeffords' aides would not comment on the chairman's investigation.

Despite published reports earlier this week that some White House officials are privately skeptical about Herman's nomination in light of recent allegations about her former business activities and links to questionable Democratic National Committee fundraising tactics, Lockhart insisted White House staff are "all in agreement" Herman is the best nominee and should be confirmed immediately.

Herman met briefly at the White House today with top aides, including Bowles, and a number of civil rights leaders and labor officials who expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in Herman's confirmation.

Dorothy Height of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights said Bowles made "very clear" in the meeting that if there are Clinton aides spreading doubt about Herman's competence, "they would no longer be part of the White House team, if they exist."

The civil rights leaders and labor officials squarely blamed Jeffords -- not the GOP leadership -- for delaying Herman's confirmation. Judith Lichtman of the Women's Legal Defense Fund noted Senate Majority Leader Lott has "indicated a great deal of support" for Herman, adding, "This isn't a leadership issue." White House aides concurred, and Lockhart said he had "no indication" that Lott has acted inconsistently with his statement of support for Herman.

A Senate GOP leadership aide said "no one" is controlling Jeffords or putting pressure on him to delay the confirmation.

Lott met with Herman earlier this month and said afterward he felt satisfied with her responses to his questions about her involvement in a DNC fundraiser at the White House last year.

In a statement Thursday, Jeffords said his panel was working with the White House to answer questions about the nomination. "It is better to try to resolve many of these issues before a hearing is scheduled," he said. "The timing has been affected by continuing revelations of activities of the White House itself that may have a bearing on the nomination."