Donald Trump to nominate Eugene Scalia, son of late Supreme Court justice, as Labor secretary

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate Eugene Scalia, son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, to lead the Labor Department.

Scalia, if confirmed, would take over a department that has been a key player in the Trump administration's campaign to cut business regulations, including many implemented during the Obama administration.

The previous Labor secretary, Alex Acosta, resigned last week amid the fallout over a plea deal he oversaw involving wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, a sex offender charged with human trafficking girls as young as 14.

Scalia previously worked as the top lawyer at the Labor Department during the George W. Bush administration, a job he received through a recess appointment. Democrats in control of the Senate at the time did not confirm him, suggesting he could meet with resistance from Democrats again. 

"Gene has led a life of great success in the legal and labor field and is highly respected not only as a lawyer, but as a lawyer with great experience," Trump tweeted on Thursday.  

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Justice Scalia, a steadfast conservative on the nation’s high court, died unexpectedly in 2016. At the time, Trump described his loss as "a massive setback for the Conservative movement and our COUNTRY!"