Republicans looking at the background of Labor secretary nominee Thomas Perez say he “manipulated” federal law while in service as assistant attorney general and is guilty of cutting a “quid pro quo” deal.
Fox News reported that Mr. Perez talked Minnesota officials into dropping a lawsuit that was headed to the Supreme Court by promising, in return, that the Justice Department wouldn’t involve itself in any whistleblower cases brought against the city.
“In early February 2012, Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez made a secret deal behind closed doors with St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Christopher Coleman and St. Paul’s outside counsel David Lillehaug,” the 67-page reported concluded, as Fox News reported. “In so doing, Mr. Perez “manipulated the rule of law and pushed the limits of justice to make this deal happen.”
The reports further states that the Justice Department did indeed stay away from whistleblower cases — and these cases led to taxpayers paying almost $200 million in damage fees that were never recouped, Fox News reported.
The report — “How Assistant General Thomas Perez Manipulated Justice and Ignored Rule of Law” — was the effort of minority leaders with the Senate Judiciary Committee and congressional members with the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees, Fox News said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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