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Wikipedia

Tom Perez

December 07, 2023

Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician and attorney currently serving as senior advisor to the president of the United States and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, holding both positions since June 2023. Perez previously served as the United States secretary of labor (2013–2017), the chair of the Democratic National Committee (2017–2021), and United States assistant attorney general for civil rights (2009–2013).

Tom Perez
Senior Advisor to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs
Assumed office
June 12, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJulie Rodriguez
Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Assumed office
June 12, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJulie Rodriguez
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office
February 25, 2017 – January 21, 2021
DeputyKeith Ellison (2017–2018)
Preceded byDebbie Wasserman Schultz
Succeeded byJaime Harrison
26th United States Secretary of Labor
In office
July 23, 2013 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
DeputySeth Harris
Chris Lu
Preceded byHilda Solis
Succeeded byAlexander Acosta
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division
In office
October 8, 2009 – July 23, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byWan J. Kim
Succeeded byJoycelyn Samuels (acting)
Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
In office
March 15, 2007 – October 7, 2009
GovernorMartin O'Malley
Preceded byJames Fielder
Succeeded byAlexander Sanchez
Member of the
Montgomery County Council
from the 5th district
In office
December 10, 2002 – December 10, 2006[1]
Preceded byDonell Peterman
Succeeded byValerie Ervin
Personal details
Born
Thomas Edward Perez

(1961-10-07) October 7, 1961 (age 62)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAnn Staudenmaier
Children3
EducationBrown University (AB)
Harvard University (JD, MPP)
Signature

Born in Buffalo, New York, Perez is a graduate of Brown University, Harvard Law School, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. After clerking for Judge Zita Weinshienk in Colorado, Perez served as a federal civil rights prosecutor for the Department of Justice, a staffer for Senator Ted Kennedy, and, in the final years of the Clinton administration, as the director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. Perez was elected to the Montgomery County (Maryland) Council in 2002, serving as the council's president from 2005 until the end of his tenure in 2006. He attempted to run for the Democratic nomination for attorney general of Maryland, but was disqualified for having insufficient time as a member of the Maryland state bar. In January 2007. Perez was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley as secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

In October 2009, Perez was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate as assistant attorney general. In 2013, Perez was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate to be the United States Secretary of labor.

After the 2016 elections, Perez announced his candidacy for chair of the Democratic National Committee in the 2017 party election.[2][3] After a tight race against Keith Ellison, Perez was elected chairman on the second ballot; he appointed Ellison as deputy chair. Perez declined to run for re-election as chair in 2021. Perez was a GU Politics Fellow at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service in 2021.[4] Perez then ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election, but lost to Baltimore author Wes Moore in the Democratic primary.[5] He joined the Biden administration in June 2023.

Early life and education edit

Thomas Edward Perez was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, to parents Grace (née Altagracia Brache Bernard) and Dr. Rafael Antonio de Jesús Pérez Lara, who had immigrated from Dominican Republic.[6]

His father, who earned U.S. citizenship after enlisting in the U.S. Army after World War II, worked as a doctor in Atlanta, Georgia, before moving to Buffalo, where he worked as a physician at a Veterans Affairs hospital.[7]

His mother, Grace, came to the United States in 1930 after her father, Rafael Brache, was appointed as the Dominican Republic's Ambassador to the United States. Brache was initially an ally of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, but after disagreements with the regime, he was declared an enemy of the state, forcing him and his family to remain in the United States.[8]

Perez is the youngest of five brothers and sisters, all of whom but Perez followed their father in becoming physicians.[7][9] His father died of a heart attack when Perez was 12 years old.[10] He attended Christ the King in Amherst, NY [11] until the 8th Grade. Perez graduated from Canisius High School, an all boys Jesuit school in Buffalo, in 1979.[12]

Perez received his Bachelor of Arts in international relations and political science from Brown University in 1983. He joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity there.[13] He covered the cost of attending Brown with scholarships and Pell Grants and by working as a trash collector and in a warehouse.[14][15] He worked in Brown's dining hall and for the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights.[16][17]

In 1987, Perez received a Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Master of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government.[18]

In 1986, while a student at Harvard, Perez worked as a law clerk for Attorney General Edwin Meese.[19]

Early career edit

After graduating from Harvard, Perez worked as a law clerk for Judge Zita Weinshienk of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado from 1987 to 1989.[20]

From 1989 to 1995, he worked as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.[21] He later served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights under Attorney General Janet Reno.[22] Perez chaired the interagency Worker Exploitation Task Force, which oversaw a variety of initiatives designed to protect workers.[23]

From 1995 to 1998, Perez worked as Democratic Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy's principal adviser on civil rights, criminal justice, and constitutional issues.[24] During the final two years of the second Clinton administration, he worked as the director of the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.[25]

From 2001 to 2007, Perez was a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law, where he taught in the clinical law and the law and health program.[26] He was a part-time member of the faculty at the George Washington University School of Public Health.[27]

Montgomery County Council edit

In 2002, Perez ran for the county council of Montgomery County, Maryland from its 5th District, which covers Silver Spring, Kensington, Takoma Park, and Wheaton. His main challenge was the Democratic primary, where he faced Sally Sternbach, the head of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce.[28] He defeated Sternbach with the support of the AFL–CIO and other labor groups.[28][29] He faced Republican Dennis E. Walsh in the general election and won with 76% of the vote, becoming the first Hispanic council member.[30]

Perez was on the council from 2002 to 2006.[31] During that time, he served on the committees for Health and Human Services, and Transportation and the Environment.[32] He also served as council president from 2004 to 2005.[33] With council member Mike Subin, Perez pushed for legislation on predatory lending.[34] The law allowed the county's Commission on Human Rights to investigate and prosecute loan brokers and third-party lenders engaging in predatory lending, raised the cap on compensation for victims, and required the commission to release an annual report on discriminatory and subprime lending in the county.[35]

Perez opposed the privatization of the non-profit health insurer CareFirst, a non-stock holding, independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association that provided coverage in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.[36][37] He lobbied for support on the county council and in the Maryland General Assembly against the sale of CareFirst to Wellpoint (now Anthem).[36] He led the council to a unanimous vote against the acquisition, leading to the rejection of the merger by Maryland's Commissioner of Insurance.[38]

In 2004, Perez, and fellow council member Marilyn Praisner introduced an initiative to provide affordable prescription drugs for county employees and retirees,[39] setting up a voluntary program to import high-quality, lower priced prescription drugs from suppliers in Canada approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).[40] The initiative was overwhelmingly passed by the council, though Montgomery County was denied a waiver by the FDA through the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act,[41] leading to a lawsuit by Montgomery County against Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, where the U.S. District Court for Maryland granted the FDA the right to dismiss.[42]

Maryland Attorney General campaign edit

After speculation arose that 20-year incumbent Attorney General of Maryland J. Joseph Curran, Jr. would announce his retirement in 2006, Perez was seen as a top contender to replace Curran.[43] On May 23, 2006, after Curran announced he would not run for re-election, Perez launched his candidacy, in a three-city tour with former Maryland Attorney General and United States Attorney Stephen H. Sachs.[44] Perez was backed by labor groups such as Maryland's State Teachers Association and the Service Employees International Union.[44]

Perez's main challengers were Montgomery County State's Attorney Doug Gansler and Stuart O. Simms, a Baltimore lawyer who had served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.[45] Gansler, who got an early start in campaign contributions, raised over $1.4 million, compared to Perez's $200,000.[46]

During the campaign, questions were raised over whether Perez was permitted to run under Maryland's State Constitution, due to a requirement that candidates for attorney general must have at least 10 years of previous experience practicing law in Maryland; It wasn't until 2001 that Perez had become a member of the Maryland State Bar Association.[47] The lawsuit was filed by Stephen N. Abrams, a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education and the 2006 Republican candidate for Comptroller of Maryland.[48]

Abrams argued that it was "absolutely wrong to say that Perez met the 10-year requirement", after he was cleared by the Maryland State Board of Elections, and received legal advice from Attorney General Curran, who opined that Perez's time as a federal prosecutor in Maryland seemingly met the requirement.[49] The lawsuit, which was brought before the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, was rejected by that court two months before the primary. Abrams appealed, bringing the case before the Maryland Court of Appeals, Maryland's highest court.[50] The Court of Appeals rejected Perez's bid for attorney general.[51] Perez then shifted his resources to support Martin O'Malley in his successful 2006 campaign for Governor of Maryland.[52]

Maryland Secretary of Labor edit

In January 2007, newly elected Governor Martin O'Malley selected Perez to run the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.[53]

In that role, Perez led efforts to target Maryland companies who were engaging in workplace fraud, imposing new restrictions on the employee misclassification as independent contractors.[54] He helped with the implementation of H.R. 1590, the Workplace Fraud Act of 2009, imposing penalties for employers who falsely classified their employees as independent contractors, actions involving tax evasion by the employers as well as the denial of worker protections and health insurance benefits to employees.[55] In May 2009, Governor O'Malley signed the act into law, with Perez saying that the act would "ensure that employers who attempt to cheat the system, their workers and their competitors, will pay a steep price for their actions".[56]

 
Perez's official portrait as Maryland's Secretary of DLLR

In 2004, then-Governor Robert Ehrlich vetoed an attempt to implement a living wage law in Maryland.[57] Perez helped lead the reintroduction of a similar bill in 2007.[58] After the bill passed and was signed by Governor O'Malley, Perez announced new provisions for out-of-state contractors and subcontractors doing business in Maryland, subjecting them to the same standards as in-state businesses.[59]

Perez was a top adviser to O'Malley on Maryland's healthcare workforce shortage.[60] Perez helped develop a plan relieving the chronic shortage of nurses in Maryland, allowing immigrants who have nursing qualifications in their home countries to have their certifications count towards becoming a registered nurse in the state.[61]

Perez served as co-chair of the Maryland Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council, alongside Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick, after Governor O'Malley moved the Maryland Adult Education and Literacy Services Program, the adult correctional education, and the GED Testing Office from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor.[62] The council oversaw the extensive transition process, while commissioning a report on proposals to revamp the state adult education system and identifying inefficiencies in the state correctional education budget.[63] Though the shift of the programs to the DLLR was proposed to allow the state to save money and create a more unified workforce system,[64] the decision was criticized by adult education providers in the state[65] and was seen as a political move by O'Malley to undermine control of the agency by Superintendent Grasmick.[66]

During his first term as governor, O'Malley pushed proposals to expand gambling in Maryland, with Perez spearheading the legalization of slot machines in the state.[67] The legislation was a central part of a plan to raise revenue to close Maryland's budget deficit (keeping revenue from crossing state lines), though Perez was criticized by many in his own party who saw the measure as a regressive way to raise revenue.[68] Perez commissioned a report led by the DLLR[69] arguing that the legalization of slots would be necessary to preserve Maryland's horse racing and breeding industries, with new revenue helping to address the issues of public education and school construction.[70] The plan was approved in a state referendum by voters in the 2008 election, allowing 15,000 new slot machines in the state.[71]

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights edit

 
Perez's official Justice Department portrait

On March 31, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Perez to be Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice.[72] The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Perez's nomination on April 29, 2009, and on June 4, 2009, the committee voted 17–2 to send Perez's nomination to the full Senate.[73] Perez's nomination then did not move forward for several months, amid questions by Republican senators about his record on immigration matters and a controversy over the Obama Justice Department's dismissal of a voter intimidation case against the militant New Black Panther Party.[74] Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) characterized the opposition as foot-dragging and "posturing for narrow special interests".[75] On October 6, 2009, the full United States Senate confirmed Perez in a bipartisan 72–22 vote.[76] Only two senators spoke out against the nomination: Tom Coburn (R-OK) and David Vitter (R-LA).[75]

Perez revamped Justice Department efforts in pursuing federal settlements and consent agreements under the Americans With Disabilities Act.[77] One of Perez's main focuses was on the discrimination of individuals with HIV/AIDS, saying that it is "critical that we continue to work to eradicate discriminatory and stigmatizing treatment towards individuals with HIV based on unfounded fears and stereotypes".[78]

Perez oversaw the division responsible for the implementation, and training of local enforcement in response to the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act;[79] including overseeing the first hate-crime conviction under the law, in the racially motivated murder of James Craig Anderson.[80] Perez endorsed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2009, citing it one of his "top priorities",[81] and at his first testimony after being confirmed as Assistant Attorney General, he said, "That LGBT individuals not being currently protected against discrimination in the workplace is perhaps one of the most gaping holes in our nation's civil rights laws."[82]

Student discrimination edit

In 2009, the Civil Rights Division under Perez's tenure filed suit against a Herkimer County, New York school for "alleged violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972".[83] The plaintiff, a 14-year-old high school student from Mohawk, New York, who "dyes his hair, and wears make-up and nail polish",[84] was reportedly subjected to verbal sex-based harassment and was "threatened, intimidated, and physically assaulted based on his non-masculine expression".[84]

In J.L. v Mohawk Central School District, the settlement required the school district to begin "training staff in appropriate ways to address harassment", to "review its policies and procedures governing harassment" and "report to the New York Civil Liberties Union (which previously represented the student in the lawsuit), as well as the Department of Justice, on these efforts as well as its ongoing response".[85] This was the first time since the Clinton administration that Title IX was applied to gender identity discrimination.[86]

The Civil Rights Division reached a settlement[when?] with the Anoka-Hennepin School District in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, after the district school board voted to repeal its policy prohibiting teachers from mentioning homosexuality in the classroom.[87] Students who brought the lawsuit accused the district of creating a "hostile, anti-gay environment" and not doing enough to protect LGBT students.[88] Perez praised the school board's decision, saying that the settlement is a "comprehensive blueprint for sustainable reform that will enhance the district's policies, training and other efforts to ensure that every student is free from sex-based harassment".[89]

After a "comprehensive investigation"[when?] by the Civil Rights Division of a juvenile facility in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, Perez's division found multiple violations of due process and Miranda rights of African-American and disabled students at Meridian, Mississippi, schools by the Lauderdale County Youth Court, the Meridian Police Department and the Mississippi Division of Youth Services.[90] The investigation described local and state authorities of running a "school-to-prison pipeline",[91] by incarcerating students for minor school disciplinary infractions, such as violating school dress-code guidelines.[92]

The Justice Department determined that a pattern existed of Mississippi authorities' failing to assess probable cause that unlawful offenses against the students had been committed, and that students were held in jail without the benefit of a hearing, a lawyer or Miranda rights;[90] with Perez claiming that "the systematic disregard for children's basic constitutional rights by agencies with a duty to protect and serve these children betrays the public trust".[93]

Police discrimination edit

 
Perez giving a speech in Washington, D.C., on July 26, 2012

After the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, in 2012, Perez was brought in by Representative Alcee Hastings and Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplet to investigate the police department's handling of the case.[94] A full-scale investigation was later launched by the Civil Rights Division, where Perez led an inquiry on the shooting investigation. After a thorough investigation was promised by Attorney General Eric Holder, Perez went to Florida, meeting with U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neil, family members of Trayvon Martin, and local officials to investigate whether the shooting was a racially motivated hate crime.[95] The Justice Department launched a probe into Sanford police chief Bill Lee, who was fired two months after the beginning of the investigation.[96]

After homeless Native American woodcarver John T. Williams was fatally shot by the Seattle Police Department in 2010, Perez led an eight-month investigation into the use of excessive force by the SPD.[97] After the end of the Division's investigation, along with Jenny Durkan, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Western Washington, Perez released a report citing "constitutional violations regarding the use of force that result from structural problems, as well as serious concerns about biased policing" by the SPD.[98] A settlement was later reached between the Civil Rights Division and the city of Seattle requiring the city to create a Community Police Commission, have the SPD under the supervision of an independent, court-appointed monitor, and encouraging police officers to de-escalate nonviolent confrontations by decreasing their use of force.[99]

Maricopa County, Arizona investigation

In June 2008, the Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, following allegations that the MCSO was engaged in a pattern of practice of unlawful conduct.[100]

An expanded investigation leading into Perez's tenure over "discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures",[101] led to a lawsuit by the Justice Department after Arpaio rejected the department's request for documents regarding the investigation; this was the first time that the federal government sued a local law enforcement agency concerning Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 since the 1970s.[102][103]

Perez released a 22-page report[100] on discriminatory and racial biases against Latinos by the MCSO and Arpaio.[104] The report found that the MCSO mistreated and used racial slurs against Spanish-speaking inmates; Latino drivers were four to nine times more likely than non-Latino drivers to be stopped in identical non-criminal instances; 20% of stops and seizures, almost all of them involving Latinos, were legally unjustified, violating the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution; and the MCSO and sheriff's deputies engaged in retaliation against individuals who participated in demonstrations against the office's policies regarding immigration.[100] Arpaio was also found to have used racial and ethnic description, such as "individuals with dark skin" and "individuals speaking Spanish" as justification for immigration raids on businesses and homes, while overlooking criminal activity, as vindication for immigration raids led by the MCSO.[105]

In May 2012, after the end of a three-year investigation, Perez led his division in a lawsuit against Maricopa County, the MCSO and Arpaio, for violating Section 14141 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.[106] Arpaio called the suit a political move by the Obama administration,[107] while Perez called the suit an "abuse-of-power case involving a sheriff and sheriff's office that disregarded the Constitution, ignored sound police practices, compromised public safety and did not hesitate to retaliate against his perceived critics".[108]

Voting rights edit

Voter ID laws edit

The Obama administration directed Perez and the Civil Rights Division in challenging South Carolina's 2011 voter ID law, over concerns that the law violated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[109] Perez successfully blocked the law from taking effect, after the Justice Department alleged that South Carolina had failed to prove that the law would not have a disproportionate effect on minority voters.[110] In a letter to South Carolina's Deputy Assistant Attorney General, C. Havird Jones, Jr.,[111] Perez questioned whether 81,000 registered voters, all of whom were minorities who didn't have government-issued or military photo identification, would be able to exercise their right to vote, citing "significant racial disparities in the proposed photo identification requirement".[111]

Perez also oversaw the Obama administration's efforts in challenging a 2011 voter ID law signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry, the second voter ID law consequently found to have violated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.[112] Addressing the Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, where the court upheld the constitutionality of Indiana's photo ID requirement, Perez argued that "[Texas's] submission did not include evidence of significant in-person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state's existing laws".[113] Perez also stressed data from the Texas Department of Public Safety that found that registered Hispanic voters were 46.5% to 120% less likely than non-Hispanic voters to have a government issued driver's license or state required photo ID.[114][115][116]

New Black Panther Party case edit

On May 14, 2010, Perez testified to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that political leadership was not involved in the decision to dismiss three of the four defendants in the NBPP case. However, on March 12, 2013, the Department of Justice Inspector General released a report stating that Perez's testimony did not reflect the entire story, as AAG Perelli and DAAG Sam Hirsch were involved in consultations on the case. However, the Inspector General found that Perez did not know about these consultations at the time of his testimony, and therefore he did not intentionally mislead the commission. However, because of his role as a Department witness, the Inspector General believed that Perez should have inquired further on this issue before testifying.[117]

In the same report, the Inspector General found that the Civil Rights Division exhibited a clear priority in enforcing the motor-voter provisions of the NVRA over the list-maintenance provisions. However, the Inspector General did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that these differences in enforcement were for political reasons.[117] In particular, they found that Perez sent letters about list-maintenance enforcement in December 2010, so as not to be viewed as interfering with the 2010 elections.[117] However, this letter provided no guidance on how states were to enforce list-maintenance procedures, instead leaving it up to the states.[118] Overall, the report stated that: "The conduct that we discovered and document in this report reflects a disappointing lack of professionalism by some Department employees over an extended period of time, during two administrations, and across various facets of the Voting Section's operations."[117]

Secretary of Labor edit

Nomination and confirmation edit

 
President Barack Obama and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez during Perez's nomination for Secretary of Labor

On March 18, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Perez to be Secretary of Labor, succeeding outgoing Secretary Hilda Solis.[119] Perez's nomination was criticized by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Pat Roberts (R-KS),[120] as well as the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal,[121] for his decision not to intervene in a whistleblower case against Saint Paul, Minnesota, in return for the city's dropping a case before the Supreme Court (Magner v. Gallagher), which could have undermined the disparate impact theory of discrimination.[122] Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) opposed the nomination because of Perez's views on immigration and his association with CASA de Maryland, calling the nomination "an unfortunate and needlessly divisive nomination".[123][124] Perez's nomination was supported by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the committee that oversees the Department of Labor.[125] His nomination was also supported by labor groups, such as the AFL-CIO and the United Farm Workers of America[126][127] as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Women's Law Center.[128][129]

 
Thomas Perez at his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor

Before holding a hearing on the nomination, Republican members of the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform subpoenaed Perez's personal e-mails[130] and released a 64-page report[131] into Perez's actions in the St. Paul whistleblower case, saying that Perez "manipulated justice and ignored the rule of law".[132]

At his confirmation hearing on April 18, 2013,[133] Perez was questioned about his role in Magner v. Gallagher and the NBPP case as well as the Obama administration's plan to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour.[134]

The confirmation vote was delayed to May 8 to give Senate Democrats more time to review Perez's role in Magner v. Gallagher,[135] and then to May 16,[136] at which time Perez's nomination cleared the committee on a party line vote of 12–10.[137] Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) postponed a full Senate vote on the nomination until July.[138]

As Senate Democrats pushed in July 2013 to eliminate the filibuster for all executive-branch nominees, senators struck a deal for a Senate vote on Perez's nomination. On July 17, 2013, the Senate voted 60–40 for cloture on Perez's nomination, ending the filibuster.[139] On July 18, 2013, the Senate voted 54–46 to confirm Perez as Secretary of Labor.[140] It was the first Senate confirmation vote in history in which a cabinet member's confirmation received a party-line vote, something many press observers termed "historic".[141]

Actions edit

Perez began his tenure by holding several meetings seeking to implement the Fiduciary Rule.[142] The Fiduciary Rule imposes a fiduciary level standard of care on retirement advisors forbidding them from receiving any commissions that create a conflict of interest.[143]

The rule was originally drafted in 2010 but had not been implemented after over 200 members of Congress sent letters urging the rule be withdrawn.[142] Secretary Perez met with stakeholders during new rulemaking and then held a conference at the Center for American Progress, where he announced he was implementing the Fiduciary Rule on April 6, 2016.[142] Congress passed legislation overturning the Fiduciary Rule, but it was vetoed by President Obama on June 9, 2016.[144]

In May 2016, following several days of negotiations,[145] Verizon and striking labor union workers reached contract agreements at the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Secretary Perez issued the Home Care Rule, requiring that home care workers for the elderly and/or people with disabilities receive minimum-wage and overtime compensation, effective January 1, 2015.[146] In December 2014, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon vacated the rule, finding it arbitrary and capricious.[147] In August 2015, Circuit Judge Sri Srinivasan, joined by Judges Thomas B. Griffith and Nina Pillard reversed, reinstating the rule. On June 27, 2016, the Supreme Court declined review.[148]

Perez regularly made 'house calls' or onsite trips [149] to obtain personal feedback and listen to workers who shared stories of their experiences. The Department of Labor launched a Veterans employment website to assist veterans with locating and utilizing employment resources.[150]

Secretary Perez used the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 as authority to issue the Persuader Rule, which required an employer's attorney to publicly disclose advice given to persuade against unionization.[151]

Before the rule took effect on July 1, 2016, the National Federation of Independent Business sued. On June 26, U.S. District Judge Samuel Ray Cummings issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Persuader Rule, finding it was not authorized by the Act, and that it violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[152] On August 25, Perez implemented the President's Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order.[153] On October 4, U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone issued a nationwide injunction blocking the rule.[154] Crone found the Constitution's Due Process Clause forbids the president from requiring federal contractors to disclose mere allegations that the contractor had violated labor laws.[154]

Perez issued a regulation attempting to double the maximum salary where overtime is required, effective December 1.[155] On November 22, U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III, issued a nationwide injunction blocking the regulation, finding that the overtime pay rule was beyond the Secretary's authority under the Fair Labor Standards Act.[156]

During the 2016 presidential election, Perez was mentioned as a possible running mate on the Democratic ticket with Hillary Clinton,[157] but was ultimately not selected. Perez later campaigned for the Clinton-Kaine ticket.[citation needed]

Perez claimed that questions by the Donald Trump Presidential Transition team sent to the State and Energy Departments were illegal, but he said he was not aware of any similar 'blanket' probes having been sent to the Labor Department.[158]

Chair of the Democratic National Committee edit

 
Perez with José Tomás Pérez, Dominican Republic Ambassador to the United States

Perez announced his candidacy for Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on December 15, 2016.[159] Perez gave the keynote speech for the Maryland Democratic Party annual legislative luncheon on January 10, 2017, in Annapolis.[160] Perez promised not to take money from federal lobbyists, foreign nationals, or current Labor Department employees.[161] His candidacy was endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials.[162]

On February 25, 2017, Perez was elected DNC chair.[163][164] Perez won on the second ballot with 235 votes, beating nearest rival Representative Keith Ellison who earned 200 votes.[163] Perez was the first Latino DNC chair.[165] After winning the election, Perez's immediate response was to make a motion to suspend the rules and recreate the (largely ceremonial) role of Deputy Chair, and to install Ellison into the office.[166] Perez is the first Dominican-American to chair the Democratic National Committee.[167] He undertook a Unity Tour in 2017 with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders to promote the DNC.[168][169]

Following the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses, Perez received pressure from outside groups, including presidential candidate, Tulsi Gabbard, to resign as the DNC chair.[170][171] Perez refused to resign, citing the amount of elections Democrats had won since he assumed the chairmanship in 2017.[172][173]

In November 2020, Perez was reported to be a potential contender for United States Attorney General or Secretary of Labor in the Biden administration.[174]

Perez declined to run for reelection as DNC Chair in 2021, and Jaime Harrison was elected to succeed him on January 21, 2021.[175][176]

2022 Maryland gubernatorial campaign edit

Main article: 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election
 
Perez campaigning in November 2021

On June 23, 2021, Perez announced that he would be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Maryland in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election.[177] His running mate was Shannon Sneed, a former member of the Baltimore City Council.[178] If elected, he would have become Maryland's first Latino governor.[179]

Many labor groups issued early endorsements of Perez, including the Amalgamated Transit Union,[180] American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,[181] the Communication Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,[182] and the Service Employees International Union.[183]

Perez received endorsements from various members of Congress, including members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus[184] and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.[185]

On July 14, 2022, Perez's campaign announced that its workers had unionized with Campaign Workers Guild.[186]

On July 19, 2022, Perez lost the primary, placing second behind Wes Moore, an author and U.S. Army veteran.[187][188]

Biden White House edit

On June 12, 2023, President Biden named Perez to serve as senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.[189]

Personal life edit

Perez owns a home in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife, Ann Marie Staudenmaier, an attorney with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and their three children.[190][191]

Perez is Catholic, and recalls that his parents told him, "In order to get to heaven, you have to have letters of reference from poor people."[192]

Honorary degrees edit

In 2014, Perez received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Brown University,[194] an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Drexel University School of Law,[195] and an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Oberlin College.[196]

References edit

  1. ^ "Montgomery County, MD Council 5". Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  2. ^ Weigel, David (December 13, 2016). "Labor Secretary Tom Perez will join race to run DNC". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
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Preceded by United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
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Joycelyn Samuels
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Political offices
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2013–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
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December 07, 2023
perez, thomas, edward, perez, born, october, 1961, american, politician, attorney, currently, serving, senior, advisor, president, united, states, director, white, house, office, intergovernmental, affairs, holding, both, positions, since, june, 2023, perez, p. Thomas Edward Perez born October 7 1961 is an American politician and attorney currently serving as senior advisor to the president of the United States and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs holding both positions since June 2023 Perez previously served as the United States secretary of labor 2013 2017 the chair of the Democratic National Committee 2017 2021 and United States assistant attorney general for civil rights 2009 2013 Tom PerezSenior Advisor to the President for Intergovernmental AffairsIncumbentAssumed office June 12 2023Serving with Mike Donilon Anita Dunn Gene Sperling Mitch Landrieu John Podesta Stephen Benjamin and Annie TomasiniPresidentJoe BidenPreceded byJulie RodriguezDirector of the White House Office of Intergovernmental AffairsIncumbentAssumed office June 12 2023PresidentJoe BidenPreceded byJulie RodriguezChair of the Democratic National CommitteeIn office February 25 2017 January 21 2021DeputyKeith Ellison 2017 2018 Preceded byDebbie Wasserman SchultzSucceeded byJaime Harrison26th United States Secretary of LaborIn office July 23 2013 January 20 2017PresidentBarack ObamaDeputySeth Harris Chris LuPreceded byHilda SolisSucceeded byAlexander AcostaUnited States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights DivisionIn office October 8 2009 July 23 2013PresidentBarack ObamaPreceded byWan J KimSucceeded byJoycelyn Samuels acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and RegulationIn office March 15 2007 October 7 2009GovernorMartin O MalleyPreceded byJames FielderSucceeded byAlexander SanchezMember of theMontgomery County Councilfrom the 5th districtIn office December 10 2002 December 10 2006 1 Preceded byDonell PetermanSucceeded byValerie ErvinPersonal detailsBornThomas Edward Perez 1961 10 07 October 7 1961 age 62 Buffalo New York U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseAnn StaudenmaierChildren3EducationBrown University AB Harvard University JD MPP SignatureBorn in Buffalo New York Perez is a graduate of Brown University Harvard Law School and the John F Kennedy School of Government After clerking for Judge Zita Weinshienk in Colorado Perez served as a federal civil rights prosecutor for the Department of Justice a staffer for Senator Ted Kennedy and in the final years of the Clinton administration as the director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services Perez was elected to the Montgomery County Maryland Council in 2002 serving as the council s president from 2005 until the end of his tenure in 2006 He attempted to run for the Democratic nomination for attorney general of Maryland but was disqualified for having insufficient time as a member of the Maryland state bar In January 2007 Perez was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O Malley as secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation In October 2009 Perez was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate as assistant attorney general In 2013 Perez was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate to be the United States Secretary of labor After the 2016 elections Perez announced his candidacy for chair of the Democratic National Committee in the 2017 party election 2 3 After a tight race against Keith Ellison Perez was elected chairman on the second ballot he appointed Ellison as deputy chair Perez declined to run for re election as chair in 2021 Perez was a GU Politics Fellow at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service in 2021 4 Perez then ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election but lost to Baltimore author Wes Moore in the Democratic primary 5 He joined the Biden administration in June 2023 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Early career 3 Montgomery County Council 4 Maryland Attorney General campaign 5 Maryland Secretary of Labor 6 Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights 6 1 Student discrimination 6 2 Police discrimination 6 3 Voting rights 6 3 1 Voter ID laws 6 3 2 New Black Panther Party case 7 Secretary of Labor 7 1 Nomination and confirmation 7 2 Actions 8 Chair of the Democratic National Committee 9 2022 Maryland gubernatorial campaign 10 Biden White House 11 Personal life 12 Honorary degrees 13 References 14 External linksEarly life and education editThomas Edward Perez was born and raised in Buffalo New York to parents Grace nee Altagracia Brache Bernard and Dr Rafael Antonio de Jesus Perez Lara who had immigrated from Dominican Republic 6 His father who earned U S citizenship after enlisting in the U S Army after World War II worked as a doctor in Atlanta Georgia before moving to Buffalo where he worked as a physician at a Veterans Affairs hospital 7 His mother Grace came to the United States in 1930 after her father Rafael Brache was appointed as the Dominican Republic s Ambassador to the United States Brache was initially an ally of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo but after disagreements with the regime he was declared an enemy of the state forcing him and his family to remain in the United States 8 Perez is the youngest of five brothers and sisters all of whom but Perez followed their father in becoming physicians 7 9 His father died of a heart attack when Perez was 12 years old 10 He attended Christ the King in Amherst NY 11 until the 8th Grade Perez graduated from Canisius High School an all boys Jesuit school in Buffalo in 1979 12 Perez received his Bachelor of Arts in international relations and political science from Brown University in 1983 He joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity there 13 He covered the cost of attending Brown with scholarships and Pell Grants and by working as a trash collector and in a warehouse 14 15 He worked in Brown s dining hall and for the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights 16 17 In 1987 Perez received a Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Master of Public Policy from the John F Kennedy School of Government 18 In 1986 while a student at Harvard Perez worked as a law clerk for Attorney General Edwin Meese 19 Early career editAfter graduating from Harvard Perez worked as a law clerk for Judge Zita Weinshienk of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado from 1987 to 1989 20 From 1989 to 1995 he worked as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice s Civil Rights Division 21 He later served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights under Attorney General Janet Reno 22 Perez chaired the interagency Worker Exploitation Task Force which oversaw a variety of initiatives designed to protect workers 23 From 1995 to 1998 Perez worked as Democratic Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy s principal adviser on civil rights criminal justice and constitutional issues 24 During the final two years of the second Clinton administration he worked as the director of the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services 25 From 2001 to 2007 Perez was a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law where he taught in the clinical law and the law and health program 26 He was a part time member of the faculty at the George Washington University School of Public Health 27 Montgomery County Council editIn 2002 Perez ran for the county council of Montgomery County Maryland from its 5th District which covers Silver Spring Kensington Takoma Park and Wheaton His main challenge was the Democratic primary where he faced Sally Sternbach the head of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce 28 He defeated Sternbach with the support of the AFL CIO and other labor groups 28 29 He faced Republican Dennis E Walsh in the general election and won with 76 of the vote becoming the first Hispanic council member 30 Perez was on the council from 2002 to 2006 31 During that time he served on the committees for Health and Human Services and Transportation and the Environment 32 He also served as council president from 2004 to 2005 33 With council member Mike Subin Perez pushed for legislation on predatory lending 34 The law allowed the county s Commission on Human Rights to investigate and prosecute loan brokers and third party lenders engaging in predatory lending raised the cap on compensation for victims and required the commission to release an annual report on discriminatory and subprime lending in the county 35 Perez opposed the privatization of the non profit health insurer CareFirst a non stock holding independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association that provided coverage in Maryland Delaware Washington D C and Virginia 36 37 He lobbied for support on the county council and in the Maryland General Assembly against the sale of CareFirst to Wellpoint now Anthem 36 He led the council to a unanimous vote against the acquisition leading to the rejection of the merger by Maryland s Commissioner of Insurance 38 In 2004 Perez and fellow council member Marilyn Praisner introduced an initiative to provide affordable prescription drugs for county employees and retirees 39 setting up a voluntary program to import high quality lower priced prescription drugs from suppliers in Canada approved by the U S Food and Drug Administration FDA 40 The initiative was overwhelmingly passed by the council though Montgomery County was denied a waiver by the FDA through the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act 41 leading to a lawsuit by Montgomery County against Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt where the U S District Court for Maryland granted the FDA the right to dismiss 42 Maryland Attorney General campaign editAfter speculation arose that 20 year incumbent Attorney General of Maryland J Joseph Curran Jr would announce his retirement in 2006 Perez was seen as a top contender to replace Curran 43 On May 23 2006 after Curran announced he would not run for re election Perez launched his candidacy in a three city tour with former Maryland Attorney General and United States Attorney Stephen H Sachs 44 Perez was backed by labor groups such as Maryland s State Teachers Association and the Service Employees International Union 44 Perez s main challengers were Montgomery County State s Attorney Doug Gansler and Stuart O Simms a Baltimore lawyer who had served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 45 Gansler who got an early start in campaign contributions raised over 1 4 million compared to Perez s 200 000 46 During the campaign questions were raised over whether Perez was permitted to run under Maryland s State Constitution due to a requirement that candidates for attorney general must have at least 10 years of previous experience practicing law in Maryland It wasn t until 2001 that Perez had become a member of the Maryland State Bar Association 47 The lawsuit was filed by Stephen N Abrams a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education and the 2006 Republican candidate for Comptroller of Maryland 48 Abrams argued that it was absolutely wrong to say that Perez met the 10 year requirement after he was cleared by the Maryland State Board of Elections and received legal advice from Attorney General Curran who opined that Perez s time as a federal prosecutor in Maryland seemingly met the requirement 49 The lawsuit which was brought before the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court was rejected by that court two months before the primary Abrams appealed bringing the case before the Maryland Court of Appeals Maryland s highest court 50 The Court of Appeals rejected Perez s bid for attorney general 51 Perez then shifted his resources to support Martin O Malley in his successful 2006 campaign for Governor of Maryland 52 Maryland Secretary of Labor editIn January 2007 newly elected Governor Martin O Malley selected Perez to run the Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation 53 In that role Perez led efforts to target Maryland companies who were engaging in workplace fraud imposing new restrictions on the employee misclassification as independent contractors 54 He helped with the implementation of H R 1590 the Workplace Fraud Act of 2009 imposing penalties for employers who falsely classified their employees as independent contractors actions involving tax evasion by the employers as well as the denial of worker protections and health insurance benefits to employees 55 In May 2009 Governor O Malley signed the act into law with Perez saying that the act would ensure that employers who attempt to cheat the system their workers and their competitors will pay a steep price for their actions 56 nbsp Perez s official portrait as Maryland s Secretary of DLLRIn 2004 then Governor Robert Ehrlich vetoed an attempt to implement a living wage law in Maryland 57 Perez helped lead the reintroduction of a similar bill in 2007 58 After the bill passed and was signed by Governor O Malley Perez announced new provisions for out of state contractors and subcontractors doing business in Maryland subjecting them to the same standards as in state businesses 59 Perez was a top adviser to O Malley on Maryland s healthcare workforce shortage 60 Perez helped develop a plan relieving the chronic shortage of nurses in Maryland allowing immigrants who have nursing qualifications in their home countries to have their certifications count towards becoming a registered nurse in the state 61 Perez served as co chair of the Maryland Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council alongside Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S Grasmick after Governor O Malley moved the Maryland Adult Education and Literacy Services Program the adult correctional education and the GED Testing Office from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor 62 The council oversaw the extensive transition process while commissioning a report on proposals to revamp the state adult education system and identifying inefficiencies in the state correctional education budget 63 Though the shift of the programs to the DLLR was proposed to allow the state to save money and create a more unified workforce system 64 the decision was criticized by adult education providers in the state 65 and was seen as a political move by O Malley to undermine control of the agency by Superintendent Grasmick 66 During his first term as governor O Malley pushed proposals to expand gambling in Maryland with Perez spearheading the legalization of slot machines in the state 67 The legislation was a central part of a plan to raise revenue to close Maryland s budget deficit keeping revenue from crossing state lines though Perez was criticized by many in his own party who saw the measure as a regressive way to raise revenue 68 Perez commissioned a report led by the DLLR 69 arguing that the legalization of slots would be necessary to preserve Maryland s horse racing and breeding industries with new revenue helping to address the issues of public education and school construction 70 The plan was approved in a state referendum by voters in the 2008 election allowing 15 000 new slot machines in the state 71 Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights edit nbsp Perez s official Justice Department portraitOn March 31 2009 President Barack Obama nominated Perez to be Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice 72 The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Perez s nomination on April 29 2009 and on June 4 2009 the committee voted 17 2 to send Perez s nomination to the full Senate 73 Perez s nomination then did not move forward for several months amid questions by Republican senators about his record on immigration matters and a controversy over the Obama Justice Department s dismissal of a voter intimidation case against the militant New Black Panther Party 74 Senator Patrick Leahy D VT characterized the opposition as foot dragging and posturing for narrow special interests 75 On October 6 2009 the full United States Senate confirmed Perez in a bipartisan 72 22 vote 76 Only two senators spoke out against the nomination Tom Coburn R OK and David Vitter R LA 75 Perez revamped Justice Department efforts in pursuing federal settlements and consent agreements under the Americans With Disabilities Act 77 One of Perez s main focuses was on the discrimination of individuals with HIV AIDS saying that it is critical that we continue to work to eradicate discriminatory and stigmatizing treatment towards individuals with HIV based on unfounded fears and stereotypes 78 Perez oversaw the division responsible for the implementation and training of local enforcement in response to the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act 79 including overseeing the first hate crime conviction under the law in the racially motivated murder of James Craig Anderson 80 Perez endorsed the Employment Non Discrimination Act in 2009 citing it one of his top priorities 81 and at his first testimony after being confirmed as Assistant Attorney General he said That LGBT individuals not being currently protected against discrimination in the workplace is perhaps one of the most gaping holes in our nation s civil rights laws 82 Student discrimination edit In 2009 the Civil Rights Division under Perez s tenure filed suit against a Herkimer County New York school for alleged violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 83 The plaintiff a 14 year old high school student from Mohawk New York who dyes his hair and wears make up and nail polish 84 was reportedly subjected to verbal sex based harassment and was threatened intimidated and physically assaulted based on his non masculine expression 84 In J L v Mohawk Central School District the settlement required the school district to begin training staff in appropriate ways to address harassment to review its policies and procedures governing harassment and report to the New York Civil Liberties Union which previously represented the student in the lawsuit as well as the Department of Justice on these efforts as well as its ongoing response 85 This was the first time since the Clinton administration that Title IX was applied to gender identity discrimination 86 The Civil Rights Division reached a settlement when with the Anoka Hennepin School District in the Minneapolis Saint Paul metropolitan area after the district school board voted to repeal its policy prohibiting teachers from mentioning homosexuality in the classroom 87 Students who brought the lawsuit accused the district of creating a hostile anti gay environment and not doing enough to protect LGBT students 88 Perez praised the school board s decision saying that the settlement is a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable reform that will enhance the district s policies training and other efforts to ensure that every student is free from sex based harassment 89 After a comprehensive investigation when by the Civil Rights Division of a juvenile facility in Lauderdale County Mississippi Perez s division found multiple violations of due process and Miranda rights of African American and disabled students at Meridian Mississippi schools by the Lauderdale County Youth Court the Meridian Police Department and the Mississippi Division of Youth Services 90 The investigation described local and state authorities of running a school to prison pipeline 91 by incarcerating students for minor school disciplinary infractions such as violating school dress code guidelines 92 The Justice Department determined that a pattern existed of Mississippi authorities failing to assess probable cause that unlawful offenses against the students had been committed and that students were held in jail without the benefit of a hearing a lawyer or Miranda rights 90 with Perez claiming that the systematic disregard for children s basic constitutional rights by agencies with a duty to protect and serve these children betrays the public trust 93 Police discrimination edit nbsp Perez giving a speech in Washington D C on July 26 2012After the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in Sanford Florida in 2012 Perez was brought in by Representative Alcee Hastings and Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplet to investigate the police department s handling of the case 94 A full scale investigation was later launched by the Civil Rights Division where Perez led an inquiry on the shooting investigation After a thorough investigation was promised by Attorney General Eric Holder Perez went to Florida meeting with U S Attorney Robert O Neil family members of Trayvon Martin and local officials to investigate whether the shooting was a racially motivated hate crime 95 The Justice Department launched a probe into Sanford police chief Bill Lee who was fired two months after the beginning of the investigation 96 After homeless Native American woodcarver John T Williams was fatally shot by the Seattle Police Department in 2010 Perez led an eight month investigation into the use of excessive force by the SPD 97 After the end of the Division s investigation along with Jenny Durkan the U S Attorney for the District of Western Washington Perez released a report citing constitutional violations regarding the use of force that result from structural problems as well as serious concerns about biased policing by the SPD 98 A settlement was later reached between the Civil Rights Division and the city of Seattle requiring the city to create a Community Police Commission have the SPD under the supervision of an independent court appointed monitor and encouraging police officers to de escalate nonviolent confrontations by decreasing their use of force 99 Maricopa County Arizona investigationIn June 2008 the Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into the Maricopa County Sheriff s Office MCSO and Sheriff Joe Arpaio following allegations that the MCSO was engaged in a pattern of practice of unlawful conduct 100 An expanded investigation leading into Perez s tenure over discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures 101 led to a lawsuit by the Justice Department after Arpaio rejected the department s request for documents regarding the investigation this was the first time that the federal government sued a local law enforcement agency concerning Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 since the 1970s 102 103 Perez released a 22 page report 100 on discriminatory and racial biases against Latinos by the MCSO and Arpaio 104 The report found that the MCSO mistreated and used racial slurs against Spanish speaking inmates Latino drivers were four to nine times more likely than non Latino drivers to be stopped in identical non criminal instances 20 of stops and seizures almost all of them involving Latinos were legally unjustified violating the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the MCSO and sheriff s deputies engaged in retaliation against individuals who participated in demonstrations against the office s policies regarding immigration 100 Arpaio was also found to have used racial and ethnic description such as individuals with dark skin and individuals speaking Spanish as justification for immigration raids on businesses and homes while overlooking criminal activity as vindication for immigration raids led by the MCSO 105 In May 2012 after the end of a three year investigation Perez led his division in a lawsuit against Maricopa County the MCSO and Arpaio for violating Section 14141 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 106 Arpaio called the suit a political move by the Obama administration 107 while Perez called the suit an abuse of power case involving a sheriff and sheriff s office that disregarded the Constitution ignored sound police practices compromised public safety and did not hesitate to retaliate against his perceived critics 108 Voting rights edit Voter ID laws edit The Obama administration directed Perez and the Civil Rights Division in challenging South Carolina s 2011 voter ID law over concerns that the law violated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 109 Perez successfully blocked the law from taking effect after the Justice Department alleged that South Carolina had failed to prove that the law would not have a disproportionate effect on minority voters 110 In a letter to South Carolina s Deputy Assistant Attorney General C Havird Jones Jr 111 Perez questioned whether 81 000 registered voters all of whom were minorities who didn t have government issued or military photo identification would be able to exercise their right to vote citing significant racial disparities in the proposed photo identification requirement 111 Perez also oversaw the Obama administration s efforts in challenging a 2011 voter ID law signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry the second voter ID law consequently found to have violated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act 112 Addressing the Supreme Court case Crawford v Marion County Election Board where the court upheld the constitutionality of Indiana s photo ID requirement Perez argued that Texas s submission did not include evidence of significant in person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state s existing laws 113 Perez also stressed data from the Texas Department of Public Safety that found that registered Hispanic voters were 46 5 to 120 less likely than non Hispanic voters to have a government issued driver s license or state required photo ID 114 115 116 New Black Panther Party case edit On May 14 2010 Perez testified to the U S Commission on Civil Rights that political leadership was not involved in the decision to dismiss three of the four defendants in the NBPP case However on March 12 2013 the Department of Justice Inspector General released a report stating that Perez s testimony did not reflect the entire story as AAG Perelli and DAAG Sam Hirsch were involved in consultations on the case However the Inspector General found that Perez did not know about these consultations at the time of his testimony and therefore he did not intentionally mislead the commission However because of his role as a Department witness the Inspector General believed that Perez should have inquired further on this issue before testifying 117 In the same report the Inspector General found that the Civil Rights Division exhibited a clear priority in enforcing the motor voter provisions of the NVRA over the list maintenance provisions However the Inspector General did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that these differences in enforcement were for political reasons 117 In particular they found that Perez sent letters about list maintenance enforcement in December 2010 so as not to be viewed as interfering with the 2010 elections 117 However this letter provided no guidance on how states were to enforce list maintenance procedures instead leaving it up to the states 118 Overall the report stated that The conduct that we discovered and document in this report reflects a disappointing lack of professionalism by some Department employees over an extended period of time during two administrations and across various facets of the Voting Section s operations 117 Secretary of Labor editNomination and confirmation edit nbsp President Barack Obama and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez during Perez s nomination for Secretary of LaborOn March 18 2013 President Barack Obama nominated Perez to be Secretary of Labor succeeding outgoing Secretary Hilda Solis 119 Perez s nomination was criticized by Senators Chuck Grassley R IA and Pat Roberts R KS 120 as well as the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal 121 for his decision not to intervene in a whistleblower case against Saint Paul Minnesota in return for the city s dropping a case before the Supreme Court Magner v Gallagher which could have undermined the disparate impact theory of discrimination 122 Senator Jeff Sessions R AL opposed the nomination because of Perez s views on immigration and his association with CASA de Maryland calling the nomination an unfortunate and needlessly divisive nomination 123 124 Perez s nomination was supported by Senator Tom Harkin D IA the chairman of the U S Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions the committee that oversees the Department of Labor 125 His nomination was also supported by labor groups such as the AFL CIO and the United Farm Workers of America 126 127 as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Women s Law Center 128 129 nbsp Thomas Perez at his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of LaborBefore holding a hearing on the nomination Republican members of the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform subpoenaed Perez s personal e mails 130 and released a 64 page report 131 into Perez s actions in the St Paul whistleblower case saying that Perez manipulated justice and ignored the rule of law 132 At his confirmation hearing on April 18 2013 133 Perez was questioned about his role in Magner v Gallagher and the NBPP case as well as the Obama administration s plan to raise the minimum wage from 7 25 to 9 an hour 134 The confirmation vote was delayed to May 8 to give Senate Democrats more time to review Perez s role in Magner v Gallagher 135 and then to May 16 136 at which time Perez s nomination cleared the committee on a party line vote of 12 10 137 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid D NV postponed a full Senate vote on the nomination until July 138 As Senate Democrats pushed in July 2013 to eliminate the filibuster for all executive branch nominees senators struck a deal for a Senate vote on Perez s nomination On July 17 2013 the Senate voted 60 40 for cloture on Perez s nomination ending the filibuster 139 On July 18 2013 the Senate voted 54 46 to confirm Perez as Secretary of Labor 140 It was the first Senate confirmation vote in history in which a cabinet member s confirmation received a party line vote something many press observers termed historic 141 Actions edit Perez began his tenure by holding several meetings seeking to implement the Fiduciary Rule 142 The Fiduciary Rule imposes a fiduciary level standard of care on retirement advisors forbidding them from receiving any commissions that create a conflict of interest 143 The rule was originally drafted in 2010 but had not been implemented after over 200 members of Congress sent letters urging the rule be withdrawn 142 Secretary Perez met with stakeholders during new rulemaking and then held a conference at the Center for American Progress where he announced he was implementing the Fiduciary Rule on April 6 2016 142 Congress passed legislation overturning the Fiduciary Rule but it was vetoed by President Obama on June 9 2016 144 In May 2016 following several days of negotiations 145 Verizon and striking labor union workers reached contract agreements at the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington D C Secretary Perez issued the Home Care Rule requiring that home care workers for the elderly and or people with disabilities receive minimum wage and overtime compensation effective January 1 2015 146 In December 2014 U S District Judge Richard J Leon vacated the rule finding it arbitrary and capricious 147 In August 2015 Circuit Judge Sri Srinivasan joined by Judges Thomas B Griffith and Nina Pillard reversed reinstating the rule On June 27 2016 the Supreme Court declined review 148 Perez regularly made house calls or onsite trips 149 to obtain personal feedback and listen to workers who shared stories of their experiences The Department of Labor launched a Veterans employment website to assist veterans with locating and utilizing employment resources 150 Secretary Perez used the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 as authority to issue the Persuader Rule which required an employer s attorney to publicly disclose advice given to persuade against unionization 151 Before the rule took effect on July 1 2016 the National Federation of Independent Business sued On June 26 U S District Judge Samuel Ray Cummings issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Persuader Rule finding it was not authorized by the Act and that it violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution 152 On August 25 Perez implemented the President s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order 153 On October 4 U S District Judge Marcia A Crone issued a nationwide injunction blocking the rule 154 Crone found the Constitution s Due Process Clause forbids the president from requiring federal contractors to disclose mere allegations that the contractor had violated labor laws 154 Perez issued a regulation attempting to double the maximum salary where overtime is required effective December 1 155 On November 22 U S District Judge Amos L Mazzant III issued a nationwide injunction blocking the regulation finding that the overtime pay rule was beyond the Secretary s authority under the Fair Labor Standards Act 156 During the 2016 presidential election Perez was mentioned as a possible running mate on the Democratic ticket with Hillary Clinton 157 but was ultimately not selected Perez later campaigned for the Clinton Kaine ticket citation needed Perez claimed that questions by the Donald Trump Presidential Transition team sent to the State and Energy Departments were illegal but he said he was not aware of any similar blanket probes having been sent to the Labor Department 158 Chair of the Democratic National Committee edit nbsp Perez with Jose Tomas Perez Dominican Republic Ambassador to the United StatesPerez announced his candidacy for Chair of the Democratic National Committee DNC on December 15 2016 159 Perez gave the keynote speech for the Maryland Democratic Party annual legislative luncheon on January 10 2017 in Annapolis 160 Perez promised not to take money from federal lobbyists foreign nationals or current Labor Department employees 161 His candidacy was endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials 162 On February 25 2017 Perez was elected DNC chair 163 164 Perez won on the second ballot with 235 votes beating nearest rival Representative Keith Ellison who earned 200 votes 163 Perez was the first Latino DNC chair 165 After winning the election Perez s immediate response was to make a motion to suspend the rules and recreate the largely ceremonial role of Deputy Chair and to install Ellison into the office 166 Perez is the first Dominican American to chair the Democratic National Committee 167 He undertook a Unity Tour in 2017 with U S Senator Bernie Sanders to promote the DNC 168 169 Following the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses Perez received pressure from outside groups including presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to resign as the DNC chair 170 171 Perez refused to resign citing the amount of elections Democrats had won since he assumed the chairmanship in 2017 172 173 In November 2020 Perez was reported to be a potential contender for United States Attorney General or Secretary of Labor in the Biden administration 174 Perez declined to run for reelection as DNC Chair in 2021 and Jaime Harrison was elected to succeed him on January 21 2021 175 176 2022 Maryland gubernatorial campaign editMain article 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election nbsp Perez campaigning in November 2021On June 23 2021 Perez announced that he would be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Maryland in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election 177 His running mate was Shannon Sneed a former member of the Baltimore City Council 178 If elected he would have become Maryland s first Latino governor 179 Many labor groups issued early endorsements of Perez including the Amalgamated Transit Union 180 American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees 181 the Communication Workers of America International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 182 and the Service Employees International Union 183 Perez received endorsements from various members of Congress including members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus 184 and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi 185 On July 14 2022 Perez s campaign announced that its workers had unionized with Campaign Workers Guild 186 On July 19 2022 Perez lost the primary placing second behind Wes Moore an author and U S Army veteran 187 188 Biden White House editOn June 12 2023 President Biden named Perez to serve as senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs 189 Personal life editPerez owns a home in Takoma Park Maryland with his wife Ann Marie Staudenmaier an attorney with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and their three children 190 191 Perez is Catholic and recalls that his parents told him In order to get to heaven you have to have letters of reference from poor people 192 Ancestors of Tom Perez 193 16 Jose del Socorro Perez Aguero 1818 8 Francisco Perez Chavez 1848 17 Lorenza Chavez Contreras4 Jose Perez Nolasco 1883 18 Matias Nolasco Roman 1815 9 Concepcion Nolasco Aguiar 1852 19 Maria Florencia Aguiar Carmona 1815 1885 2 Rafael Antonio Perez ne Rafael Antonio de Jesus Perez de Lara b 1922 20 Fernando de Lara Rojas10 Eduardo de Lara Rojas21 Maria Francisca Rojas Guzman5 Ana de Lara Hernandez 1890 22 Telesforo Hernandez Trejo11 Romula del Carmen Hernandez Hernandez23 Anacleta de Jesus Hernandez Camacho1 Thomas Edward Perez24 Justo Brache12 Elias Brache Soriano 1847 1912 25 Francisca del Rosario Soriano6 Rafael Angel Brache Ramirez 1888 26 Anselmo Ramirez de Arellano13 Maria Apolonia Ramirez Melert27 Isabel Julia Melert3 Grace Perez nee Altagracia Brache Bernard 28 Juan Evangelista Bernard Rodriguez14 N Bernard Sanchez29 Maria Saturnina Sanchez Jimenez7 Dolores Grecia Bernard Gonzalez 1896 15 N GonzalezHonorary degrees editIn 2014 Perez received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Brown University 194 an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Drexel University School of Law 195 and an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Oberlin College 196 References edit Montgomery County MD Council 5 Retrieved February 28 2020 Weigel David December 13 2016 Labor Secretary Tom Perez will join race to run DNC The Washington Post Retrieved December 15 2016 Dovere Edward Isaac December 14 2016 Perez set to make his run for DNC chair official Politico Retrieved December 15 2016 Tom Perez Institute of Politics and Public Service Retrieved April 20 2021 Author Wes Moore wins Democratic race for Maryland governor AP NEWS July 23 2022 Retrieved July 24 2022 DANR President Attends Installation Ceremony of Thomas E Perez as US Assistant Attorney General Dominican American National Roundtable November 14 2009 Archived from the original on January 9 2014 a b HEARINGS before the COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION APRIL 29 MAY 12 JUNE 24 2009 June 24 2009 Cameron W Barr April 3 2005 Council Chief Builds a Base In the New Montgomery washingtonpost com Madhani Aamer March 18 2013 Obama picks Perez to head Labor Department USA Today Peter Baker March 17 2013 Obama Nominates Justice Aide for Labor Post nytimes com SERVICES NEWS WIRE December 15 2016 Snyder native Tom Perez officially launches DNC bid Buffalo News Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez 79 to address Downtowners in October Canisius High School October 27 2012 Archived from the original on October 2 2011 Mathias Heller March 18 2013 Obama to nominate Perez for Labor Secretary slot The Brown Daily Herald Allen Mike March 18 2013 RNC REBOOT immigration reform engaging Hispanics Asians African Americans catching up to Dems digital supremacy AILES book excerpts Politico Roberta Rampton Rachelle Younglai March 18 2013 Obama s labor pick Perez faces Republican scrutiny reuters com DANR Applauds Confirmation of Tom Perez as Assistant Attorney General for the U S Civil Rights Division Dominican American National Roundtable October 8 2009 Archived from the original on January 9 2014 United States Government Printing Office December 16 2009 THE LAW OF THE LAND U S IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES HEARING before the SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LAW of the COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION Civil Rights in 2010 and Beyond Tom Perez 87 amp the Future of Civil Rights Work harvard edu October 26 2010 Archived from the original on January 9 2014 Retrieved March 19 2013 United States Government Printing Office July 26 2012 STATEMENT OF THOMAS E PEREZ ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE U S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION PDF justice gov Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs October 9 2009 Attorney General Eric Holder Welcomes Thomas E Perez as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division justice gov Biographical information for Thomas Perez lasvegassun com Associated Press March 18 2013 dead link Northeastern Illinois University April 2010 CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST THOMAS PEREZ TO SPEAK AT COMMENCEMENT neiu edu Archived from the original on May 27 2010 Gemen Ben March 9 2013 Reports Obama picks civil rights lawyer for Labor secretary The Hill University of Minnesota Law School March 18 2013 CIVIL RIGHTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PDF umn edu Archived from the original PDF on September 23 2014 Devlin Barrett Melanie Trottman April 17 2013 Labor Pick Faces Backlash Over His Aggressive Record Wall Street Journal University of Maryland School of Law March 18 2013 President Obama Nominates Thomas E Perez Former UM Carey Law Faculty Member for Secretary of Labor umaryland edu Archived from the original on May 14 2013 Christi Parsons March 18 2013 Obama to nominate Thomas E Perez as Labor secretary Los Angeles Times a b Noel Barton January 3 2003 Sternbach picked to take over GRP gazette net Maryland Community News Online Mo Co Summary 5 14 06 Metropolitan Washington AFL CIO dclabor org May 14 2006 Archived from the original on July 8 2007 Montgomery County Board of Elections November 5 2002 MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND ELECTION RETURNS GENERAL ELECTION msa maryland gov J J McGrath March 9 2013 Who Is Thomas Perez The Presumptive Nominee As US Labor Secretary International Business Times ibtimes com Montgomery County Council Legislative Information Services PDF montgomerycountymd gov December 2 2002 Lucy Madison March 18 2013 Obama taps Thomas Perez as labor secretary cbsnews com Montgomery County Council From the Office of Council member Tom Perez Perez and Subin to Introduce Bill Focusing on Predatory Lending and Other Discriminatory Housing Practices PDF montgomerycountymd gov October 21 2004 Montgomery County Council From the Offices of Council member Tom Perez and Mike Subin Perez and Subin Push to End Predatory Lending Council members Support Expanding County s Fair Housing Law PDF montgomerycountymd gov October 24 2004 a b Tom Perez District 5 Update PDF montgomerycountymd gov March 31 2003 BBB BUSINESS REVIEW THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED CareFirst Inc Better Business Bureau March 19 2013 Montgomery County Council Statement by Councilmember Tom Perez on the Rejection of CareFirst Sale PDF montgomerycountymd gov March 6 2003 Montgomery County Council From the Office of Councilmembers Tom Perez amp Marilyn Praisner PEREZ PRAISNER TO ANNOUNCE NEW PUSH ON AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS PDF montgomerycountymd gov July 22 2004 Montgomery County Council PDF montgomerycountymd gov September 21 2004 Randall W Lutter PhD November 8 2005 Maryland County Executive Douglas Duncan fda gov gpo gov August 22 2006 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND SOUTHERN DIVISION MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND Plaintiff v MIKE LEAVITT et al Defendants PDF gpo gov Ann W Parks May 9 2006 LEGAL PROFESSION What s next for Joe Curran Service advocacy a book oh and one more campaign but not his own PDF Maryland Daily Record Associated Press via maryland gov a b Andrew A Green May 24 2006 Perez enters race for attorney general baltimoresun com Janel Davis April 26 2006 Dist 5 future hinges on Curran gazette net Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved March 26 2013 Matthew Mosk John Wagner January 18 2006 Duncan Lags Behind Rivals In Campaign Fundraising Washington Post Sean R Sedam July 19 2006 Abrams sues over Perez s eligibility to enter race gazette net Eric Rich August 1 2006 Experience Qualifies Perez to Run Judge Rules washingtonpost com Andrea F Siegle July 14 2006 Suit challenges Perez candidacy baltimoresun com Andrea F Siegle August 1 2006 Perez allowed to keep running baltimoresun com Maryland Court of Appeals August 25 2006 Abrams v Lamone et al PDF courts state md us Steve Vogel Ernesto Londono August 26 2006 Court Rejects Perez Bid Early Voting Law in Md washingtonpost com Former Bowie State University President to Become Next MHEC Secretary PDF bowiestate edu January 26 2007 Archived from the original PDF on May 11 2013 David Madland Karla Walter United Brotherhood of Carpenters December 2008 State and local innovations to protect workers rights Maryland PDF carpenters org permanent dead link Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation March 20 2008 Testimony of Thomas E Perez Secretary of the Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation HB 1590 House Economic Matters Committee dllr state md us Archived from the original on April 12 2013 Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation May 7 2009 Governor O Malley Signs Workplace Fraud Act of 2009 dllr maryland gov Archived from the original on December 13 2014 John Wahner May 8 2007 Maryland First to Have Living Wage Law washingtonpost com The Talented Mr Perez Wall Street Journal March 19 2013 Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation October 1 2007 Division of Labor and Industry NEW LIVING WAGE LAW dllr state md us Archived from the original on November 12 2010 Maryland Higher Education Commission January 2008 Maryland Higher Education Commission Office of Student Financial Assistance Report Of the Advisory Council on Workforce Shortage PDF mhec state md us Archived from the original PDF on January 3 2014 N C Aizenman October 23 2008 Untapped Talents of Educated Immigrants washingtonpost com The Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council PDF marylandpublicschools org May 16 2008 Archived from the original PDF on April 29 2011 Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation May 16 2008 Workforce Creation and Adult Education Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition ANNOUNCEMENT from Thomas Perez and Nancy Grasmick Co chairs of The Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council dllr state md us Archived from the original on December 13 2014 Margarita Raycheva March 20 2008 State may shift adult education gazette net Archived from the original on December 15 2014 Retrieved April 10 2013 Andy Rosen July 22 2008 Oversight of adult education in state is moving to DLLR PDF The Daily Record gnc org permanent dead link Laura Smitherman December 8 2008 After stumble Perez on the rise baltimoresun com Sari Horwitz Lena H Sun March 9 2013 Obama to nominate Thomas Perez as labor secretary washingtonpost com Philip Rucker November 12 2007 Liberal Leads The Drive for Slots in Md washingtonpost com Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation August 2007 Slot Machines and the Racing Industry A Review of Existing Data in Maryland and Neighboring States PDF maryland gov Archived from the original PDF on January 28 2013 Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation Secretary Perez Joins Governor O Malley as He Outlines a Plan to Recapture Slots Revenue for Maryland dllr state md us Archived from the original on May 13 2013 Laura Smitherman Gadi Dechter November 5 2008 Laura Smitherman and Gadi Dechter Baltimore Sun Nominations Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E Perez Judiciary Senate gov accessed October 7 2009 Marylander Perez may soon take Civil Rights helm at Justice baltimoresun com September 14 2009 Civil Rights Division Nominee Slated for Senate Vote Archived July 17 2011 at the Wayback Machine MainJustice com October 5 2009 a b West Paul Senate confirms Perez to civil rights post at Justice permanent dead link Baltimore Sun October 7 2009 PN261 Thomas E Perez of Maryland to be an Assistant Attorney General vice Wan J Kim 111th Congress DANR and its National Council Support President Obama s Nomination of Tom Perez as the U S Secretary of Labor Dominican American National Roundtable April 17 2013 Archived from the original on May 15 2013 United States Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs March 21 2011 Justice Department Issues Letter Regarding Illegal Exclusion of Individuals with HIV AIDS from Occupational Training and State Licensing justice gov United States House Committee on the Judiciary June 1 2011 STATEMENT OF THOMAS E PEREZ ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE U S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION PDF judiciary house gov Archived from the original PDF on February 27 2013 United States House Committee on the Judiciary July 26 2012 Department of Justice PDF judiciary house gov Archived from the original PDF on February 22 2013 United States Department of Justice November 5 2009 STATEMENT OF THOMAS E PEREZ ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH EDUCATION LABOR AND PENSIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ENTITLED EMPLOYMENT NON DISCRIMINATION ACT ENSURING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS PDF justice gov United States Department of Justice October 12 2010 Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E Perez at the Cleveland LGBT Heritage Celebration Speech in Cleveland Ohio justice gov Archived from the original on November 28 2010 United States Department of Justice March 30 2010 Justice Department Settles with New York School District to Ensure Students Have Equal Opportunities justice gov a b United States Department of Justice January 14 2010 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v MOHAWK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT et al PDF justice gov J L v Mohawk Central School District Challenging school district s failure to protect a gay student from harassment New York Civil Liberties Union August 19 2009 Retrieved May 8 2013 Ryan J Riley January 15 2010 Justice Department Cites Title IX on Behalf of Gay Teen mainjustice com Archived from the original on April 24 2013 Jeremy White March 7 2012 Gay Bullying Protections Agreed to By Minnesota School District International Business Times Ricardo Lopez March 6 2012 Minnesota school district settles suit on bullying of gay students Los Angeles Times Maria Elena Baca March 6 2012 Anoka Hennepin school settlement hailed as blueprint startribune com a b United States Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs August 10 2012 Justice Department Releases Investigative Findings Showing Constitutional Rights of Children in Mississippi Being Violated justice gov Michael Martinez August 10 2012 Feds Mississippi county runs school to prison pipeline cnn com Elisabeth Kauffman December 11 2012 The Worst School to Prison Pipeline Was it in Mississippi time com Jason Ryan August 10 2012 Feds Authorities in Meridian Miss Violated Rights of Black Children abcnews go com Adam Serwer March 23 2012 Meet the Obama Official Investigating the Trayvon Martin Shooting motherjones com Attorney General Holder vows thorough review in Trayvon Martin case cbsnews com Associated Press April 11 2012 Meredith Rutland June 20 2012 Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee fired in wake of Trayvon Martin case miamiherald com Michael Muskal December 16 2011 Justice Department says Seattle police used excessive force Los Angeles Times Levi Pulkkinen December 16 2011 Feds Seattle police show pattern of excessive force seattlepi com Mike Carter Steve Miletich July 27 2012 SPD faces new oversight scrutiny of use of force seattletimes com Archived from the original on May 31 2013 a b c United States Department of Justice December 15 2011 United States Investigation of the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office PDF justice gov Daniel Gonzalez March 11 2009 Arpaio to be investigated over alleged violations The Arizona Republic Arizona sheriff challenges Justice Department s request for documents cnn com August 28 2010 Marc Lacey September 2 2010 Justice Dept Sues Sheriff Over Bias Investigation nytimes com Terry Greene Sterling December 16 2011 Sheriff Joe Arpaio Slammed in Federal Civil Rights Probe Report thedailybeast com Marc Lacey December 15 2011 U S Finds Pervasive Bias Against Latinos by Arizona Sheriff nytimes com United States Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs May 12 2012 Department of Justice Files Lawsuit in Arizona Against Maricopa County Maricopa County Sheriff s Office and Sheriff Joseph Arpaio justice gov Amanda Lee Meyers May 12 2012 Will Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio s popularity continue amid lawsuit Christian Science Monitor Fernanda Santos Charlie Savage May 10 2012 Lawsuit Says Sheriff Discriminated Against Latinos nytimes com David G Savage December 23 2011 Justice Department rejects South Carolina voter ID law Los Angeles Times Evan Perez December 24 2011 South Carolina Voter Law Barred by Administration Wall Street Journal a b United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division December 23 2011 C Havird Jones Jr Esq Assistant Deputy Attorney General justice gov Archived from the original on March 25 2013 Sari Horwitz March 12 2012 Justice Department bars Texas voter ID law washingtonpost com Archived from the original on December 22 2012 United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division May 12 2012 Keith Ingram Esq Director of Elections justice gov Archived from the original on March 8 2013 Charlie Savage May 12 2012 Justice Dept Blocks Texas on Photo ID for Voting nytimes com Julian Aguilar March 12 2012 Feds Reject Texas Voter ID Law texastribune org Bill Mears March 12 2012 Administration blocks Texas voter ID law cnn com a b c d A Review of the Operations of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division PDF Report U S Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General March 12 2013 Retrieved May 3 2013 Civil Rights Division NVRA FAQs U S Department of Justice Retrieved May 3 2013 Eyder Peralta March 18 2013 Obama Nominates Thomas Perez For Labor Secretary npr org Litvan Laura April 2 2013 Obama s Labor Pick s Immigration Advocacy Tests Republicans Bloomberg News The Talented Mr Perez How Obama s Labor nominee muscled a city to drop a Supreme Court case Wall Street Journal March 19 2013 Brett Loguirato March 22 2013 Here s Why Republicans Already Hate Obama s Next Cabinet Nominee Business Insider Epstein Reid J March 17 2013 President Obama nominates Tom Perez for Labor Politico President nominates Thomas Perez as labor secretary Toledo Blade Associated Press March 21 2013 Litvan Laura Mattingly Phil March 19 2013 Republicans Say Perez Faces Questions Over Housing Case Bloomberg News Mascaro Lisa Lee Don March 10 2013 Obama to name civil rights enforcer Thomas Perez as Labor secretary Los Angeles Times UFW applauds Labor Secretary nominee Tom Perez s challenge to Arizona anti immigrant law looking forward to another champion for farm workers rights Press release United Farm Workers of America March 18 2013 Archived from the original on March 11 2014 Retrieved June 12 2013 Kuhnhenn Jim Hannanel Sam March 18 2013 Obama nominates Justice official to top Labor slot Las Vegas Sun Associated Press NWLC Urges Senate to Confirm Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor Press release National Women s Law Center May 16 2013 Archived from the original on June 6 2013 Hanael Sam April 11 2013 GOP Lawmakers Subpoena Emails of Labor Nominee Associated Press DOJ S Quid Pro Quo with St Paul How Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez Manipulated Justice and Ignored the Rule of Law PDF United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform April 15 2013 West Paul April 18 2013 Labor secretary nominee unscathed after hearing Los Angeles Times Hearing for Secretary of Labor Designate Thomas E Perez The U S Senate Committee on Health Education Labor amp Pensions April 18 2013 Retrieved February 28 2020 Fritze John April 18 2013 Labor nominee Perez faces sharp questions from GOP senators Critics focus on Marylander s time at Justice Department Baltimore Sun Hananel Sam April 24 2013 Thomas Perez Confirmation Vote Delayed By Senate Democrats Associated Press ap org Archived from the original on June 10 2015 Gerstein Josh May 8 2013 Perez confirmation vote delayed again Politico Hicks Josh May 16 2013 Labor secretary nominee Perez clears early hurdle in confirmation Washington Post Archived from the original on May 17 2013 Memoli Michael A May 21 2013 Reid to delay Senate votes on most Obama nominees until July Los Angeles Times U S Senate Legislation amp Records Home gt Votes gt Roll Call Vote Senate gov retrieved August 12 2013 Cox Ramsey July 18 2013 Senate confirms Perez as secretary of Labor The Hill The historical oddity of Thomas Perez s confirmation MSNBC July 18 2013 Retrieved August 12 2013 a b c Miller Justin The Subtle Force of Tom Perez The American Prospect No Summer 2016 Retrieved November 24 2016 Fact Sheet Middle Class Economics Strengthening Retirement Security by Cracking Down on Conflicts of Interest in Retirement Savings whitehouse gov April 6 2016 Retrieved November 24 2016 via National Archives Ebeling Ashlea June 8 2016 Obama Vetoes Resolution Against DOL Retirement Rule As Lawsuits Fly Forbes Retrieved November 24 2016 Egan Matt May 28 2016 Verizon striking labor unions reach tentative agreement on contract Retrieved December 3 2016 Minimum wage overtime protections extended to direct care workers by US Labor Department DOL Wage and Hour Division Press Release September 17 2013 Retrieved November 24 2016 Important information regarding recent Home Care litigation in the U S District Court of D C DOL Wage and Hour Division Retrieved November 24 2016 Home Care Ass n of America v Weil SCOTUSblog Retrieved November 24 2016 Kasperkevic Jana May 21 2016 Tom Perez has guts US labor secretary being eyed as Clinton s running mate Retrieved December 3 2016 via The Guardian Veterans gov Retrieved December 3 2016 Cassens Weiss Debra June 28 2016 Judge blocks new persuader rule requiring disclosure of lawyer advice to employers on union issues ABA Journal Retrieved November 20 2016 Dube Lawrence E DOL Persuader Rule Blocked by Federal Judge Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report Retrieved November 20 2016 Executive Order 13673 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces United States Department of Labor Retrieved November 24 2016 a b Trottman Melanie October 25 2016 Construction Trade Group Wins Injunction Blocking U S Federal Workplace Rule The Wall Street Journal Retrieved October 26 2016 Brubaker Calkins Laurel November 22 2016 Obama White Collar Overtime Pay Expansion Blocked by Judge Bloomberg News Retrieved November 23 2016 Booker Brakkton November 22 2016 Federal Judge Blocks Obama Administration s Overtime Pay Rule NPR Retrieved November 23 2016 Former Maryland Cabinet Secretary On Clinton VP Short List wbal com Retrieved May 25 2017 Labor Secretary Tom Perez Trump transition probes illegal cbsnews com December 27 2016 Retrieved May 25 2017 Dan Merica December 14 2016 Labor Secretary announces bid for DNC chair CNN Retrieved May 25 2017 Campbell Colin January 5 2017 Labor Secretary Tom Perez DNC chair hopeful to speak at annual legislative luncheon in Annapolis The Baltimore Sun Swanson Ian December 22 2016 Perez won t take lobbyists money for DNC election The Hill Retrieved May 25 2017 Debenedetti Gabriel February 25 2017 Perez elected DNC chairman Politico Retrieved February 26 2017 a b Prokop Andrew February 25 2017 Tom Perez was just elected DNC chair Vox Retrieved February 25 2017 Tom Perez elected DNC chair CBS News February 25 2017 Retrieved February 25 2017 Tom Perez elected as first Latino DNC chair February 25 2017 Gambino Lauren February 26 2017 Tom Perez is new Democratic party chair beating Keith Ellison in tight vote The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved February 28 2020 Dominicano Tom Perez Could Be the First Latino to Chair the Democratic National Committee Retrieved February 16 2017 Perez Sanders tour kicks off amid progressive skepticism Washington Post Retrieved May 25 2017 Traister Rebecca April 24 2017 Will We Abandon Women s Rights In The Name Of Progressive Politics huffingtonpost com Retrieved May 25 2017 Jacobs Emily February 10 2020 Tulsi Gabbard calls on DNC Chair Tom Perez to resign New York Post Retrieved February 10 2020 Lange Jeva February 7 2020 Furious Democrats call for Tom Perez s resignation after Iowa fiasco The Week Retrieved February 10 2019 Fearnow Benjamin February 9 2020 Dnc Chair Tom Perez Hints That Iowa May Lose First Caucus Rejects Calls to Resign We Have Been Winning Newsweek Retrieved February 10 2020 Duster Chandelis February 9 2020 DNC chairman says he won t step down after chaotic Iowa caucuses but expects review of state s first in nation status CNN Retrieved February 10 2020 Who Are Contenders for Biden s Cabinet The New York Times November 11 2020 Retrieved November 11 2020 Kamisar Ben DNC will elect new chair at Jan 21 virtual Winter Meeting NBC News Retrieved June 23 2021 Greenwood Max January 21 2021 Democrats formally elect Harrison as new DNC chair The Hill Retrieved June 23 2021 Cramer Ruby Ferris Sarah Montellaro Zach Tom Perez launches Maryland governor bid POLITICO Retrieved June 23 2021 Shwe Elizabeth February 3 2022 Perez Picks Sneed Former Baltimore City Councilmember as His Running Mate Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 DePuyt Bruce June 23 2021 Former Labor Secretary DNC Chairman Tom Perez Launches Gubernatorial Bid Maryland Matters Retrieved July 15 2022 DePuyt Bruce November 16 2021 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Receive Flurry of Endorsements Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 Gaines Danielle E Shwe Elizabeth October 27 2022 AFSCME Largest Employee Union in State Government Endorses Perez for Governor Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 Shwe Elizabeth September 1 2021 Perez Picks Up Union Endorsements in 2022 Race for Governor Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 Gaines Danielle E March 14 2022 Service Employees International Union Locals Endorse Perez in Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 Shwe Elizabeth October 14 2021 Perez Picks Up Endorsements from Congressional Hispanic Caucus Maryland Matters Retrieved April 7 2022 Wiggins Ovetta December 13 2021 Nancy Pelosi endorses Tom Perez in Maryland governor s race The Washington Post Retrieved April 7 2022 DePuyt Bruce Gaines Danielle July 16 2022 Notes Poll Shows Blair Closing in on Elrich Mizeur Launches Ad Perez Campaign Unionizes and More Maryland Matters Retrieved July 16 2022 2022 Maryland primary elections results The Washington Post July 19 2022 Retrieved July 22 2022 Bowman Bridget July 22 2022 Wes Moore wins Democratic primary for Maryland governor NBC News Retrieved July 22 2022 Miller Zeke June 12 2023 Biden bringing on ex labor secretary and DNC chair Tom Perez to help with implementation push The Hill The Associated Press Retrieved July 16 2023 Lerer Lisa February 1 2017 Biden backs Tom Perez in race to lead Democratic Party The Baltimore Sun Retrieved April 9 2017 Perez a 55 year old Takoma Park resident and former Montgomery County and Maryland state official is a Dominican American civil rights lawyer who grew up in the Rust Belt Almasy Steve Ansari Azadeh February 27 2017 Meet Tom Perez the Democratic Party s next best hope CNN Retrieved April 9 2017 Perez is married to Ann Marie Staudenmaier an attorney for the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and the couple has three children If Clinton wins Thomas Perez does too Only question What job does he get Washington Post July 5 2016 Retrieved February 11 2017 Nunez Milciades Humberto July 26 2013 Thomas Edward Perez Ancestros dominicanos en el Gabinete de Obama Capsulas Genealogicas in Spanish Hoy Instituto Dominicano de Genealogia Retrieved December 22 2016 Brown confers nine honorary degrees Brown University May 25 2014 Retrieved May 27 2014 U S Labor Secretary Exhorts Class of 2014 to Play in the Orchestra of Opportunity Drexel University May 22 2014 Retrieved May 27 2014 Oberlin College Commencement oberlin edu Oberlin College Retrieved June 3 2014 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Perez Campaign website Archived January 6 2022 at the Wayback Machine About Secretary Thomas Perez at the United States Department of Labor Appearances on C SPANLegal officesPreceded byWan Kim United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights2009 2013 Succeeded byJoycelyn SamuelsActingPolitical officesPreceded byHilda Solis United States Secretary of Labor2013 2017 Succeeded byAlex AcostaPreceded byJulie Rodriguez Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs2023 present IncumbentParty political officesPreceded byDonna BrazileActing Chair of the Democratic National Committee2017 2021 Succeeded byJaime HarrisonU S order of precedence ceremonial Preceded byAnthony Foxxas Former US Cabinet Member Order of precedence of the United Statesas Former US Cabinet Member Succeeded byJeh Johnsonas Former US Cabinet Member Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tom Perez amp oldid 1186835632, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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