McCain: I want NAM’s letters and letters from 600 other organizations included.
McCain: Do you provide support to ACORN?
becker: No, never.
McCain: Did you work with SEIU to obtain representation for home health care workers with Gov Blagojevich?
Becker: I provided counsel to SEIU Local and met with Blago’s staff and once with Blago himself about home health care organizing. My recommendations dealt with technicalities in legislation for organizing these workers.
McCain: They needed your expertise.
Becker: I’ve done this in other states including CA. I have expertise.
McCain: How many cases involving SEIU would you have to recuse yourself?
Becker: Difficult, but SEIU is rarely party to board proceedings.
McCain: What about NUHW cases?
Becker: I have not been involved with that matter.
McCain: But you worked for SEIU
Becker: Yes, but I wasn’t involved.
McCain: Would you recuse yourself?
Becker: This is something I considered when looking at the nomination. This led to ethics agreement under which circumstances I would recuse myself in which SEIU is a party for two years. I would consider future questions after those 2 years with the ethics board and recuse myself if necessary.
McCain: It’s not complicated, it reads I would recuse myself after 2 years with SEIU issues. There seems to be several you’d have to recuse yourself often.
Becker: I will abide by that pledge. And if there are other issues that people have I would consider recusing myself if people brought it up.
McCain: That’s not good enough. If your past employer is involved, you should recuse yourself.
Hatch: Can I submit my questions? I have to leave.
Merkeley asking now. To be honest, softballs about sharing stories. I’m multi tasking….
Becker now talking about the management attorneys who support his nomination.
FRANKEN! Thanks for coming to this unusual, unique hearing. I’m a member of 4 labor unions, don’t know how many others are. I appreciate how important this area of the law is.
Most people who are nominated to the NLRB have either represented workers, or management.
Becker: Yes, it’s a divided bar.
Franken: Enzi’s staffer represented management for his entire career. It’s not unusual for someone who’s represented labor to be nominated to the NLRB.
Becker: Correct
Franken: This whole thing about the SEIU, it’s happened before. If they represented a firm, they could recuse themselves if a former client appears before the board. Nothing unusual there. You answered some 200 questions, right?
Becker: Yes
Franken: How long did they have to answer the questions?
Becker: I don’t know, but there’s been a back and forth since the spring. Whoever had questions had months to submit them to you.
Franken: This is an unusual hearing. I’m new the Senate, but it’s unique. Only other board hearing was for a chair. This wasat the insistence of one member who held your nomination. Did that member submit any questions to you?
Becker: No.
Franken: Really. He, or she (ed: McCain) didn’t submit any questions over all those months. Huh.
