[CTC] Raimondo plays up trade experience at unveiling

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Politico Morning Trade

RAIMONDO PLAYS UP TRADE EXPERIENCE AT UNVEILING:Amid the drama at USTR, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, Biden’s pick for Commerce secretary, introduced herself as a member of Biden’s Cabinet who has personal experience with international trade and its effects on U.S. workers.

At an event unveiling economic nominees, Raimondo recounted how her father lost his 28-year factory job in Providence when watchmaker Bulova packed up and moved operations to China. She promised as Commerce secretary that she would “come together with working families and business” to help “empower entrepreneurs” and “spur good paying jobs.”

Progressives opposed: Regardless of her backstory, progressives and unions opposed Raimondo when she was being vetted for higher profile roles leading Treasury or HHS, over her slashing of pension payments in Rhode Island.

Biden says unions at table for trade: But Biden offered labor an olive branch during the Cabinet event, promising that unions would be at the table for “every decision we make” in trade policy.

And he nominated a longtime union leader for Labor secretary in Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who Biden said would “encourage the formation of unions.” He added that he considered Sen. Bernie Sanders <https://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9040b2878322a8a751e3c257442da5319eb4086a8c14eaaf4800029d1a63c49298e4dcca2f3b1f54f04ad50dad23074b> (I-Vt.) for the role, but that he and the runner-up from the Democratic primary agreed that a 50-50 partisan split in the Senate was too narrow to risk in a special election.


Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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