In the wake of the exit of now-former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, friends in high places are tugging strings in the White House for his potential replacement.
According to Breitbart, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly pushing President Joe Biden to consider Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) to fill Walsh's vacancy in the powerful Cabinet position.
Walsh announced last week that he was leaving his high-profile post for the private sector, where he'll serve as an executive director for the NHL Players’ Association.
Secretary Maloney?
Two sources tell @haleytalbotnbc & me that @SpeakerPelosi has been making calls to the WH & labor leaders on behalf of former DCCC Chair @RepSeanMaloney to be the next labor secretary, when Marty Walsh steps down.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 9, 2023
Though Walsh will officially be Biden's first Cabinet member departure since taking office just over two years ago, his exit came with other high-profile Biden administration exits.
Breitbart noted:
"Walsh’s exit would mark the first Cabinet official to leave Biden’s administration after two years in office. Still, he joins several top departures, including National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and former chief of staff Ron Klain."
As is typical when a Cabinet member leaves an administration, everyone who's owed favors in D.C. begin making phone calls to get players like Pelosi to get them a gig in the administration.
Pelosi's office comments on our reporting: “Speaker Emerita Pelosi would love to see Sean Patrick Maloney continue in public service, including in the Administration.”https://t.co/B6AiN3pKan
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 9, 2023
Unfortunately for Pelosi and Maloney, as it's being reported, Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su is the "heavy favorite" for the job.
But @mikememoli reports that multiple sources familiar with the matter say that Julie Su, formerly Secretary of Labor in California and currently the Number 2 under Walsh at the Department, is the heavy favorite.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 9, 2023
Others think Pelosi is wasting her time and favors.
That is not going to happen and it shows how out of touch Pelosi is. Maloney is nowhere on labor's radar. https://t.co/iw9D3RV4fp
— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 9, 2023
Whether Pelosi has enough pull to override a heavily favorited undersecretary for the position is yet to be seen.
Either way, it's highly doubtful that the Founding Fathers intended a president's Cabinet to be filled through political favor trading.