Dec 20, 2011 - U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and 10 of his Senate colleagues today sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to withdraw the nomination of Lafe Solomon, Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Following the NLRB's dismissal earlier this month of their unfounded complaint against Boeing Co., Solomon threatened to take the same misguided action in the future, according to the Senators.

He said that "if we were ever faced with a similar pattern, we might well issue a complaint." Senators Mike Johanns, Lamar Alexander, Lindsey Graham, Jim DeMint, John Thune, John Cornyn, Jeff Sessions, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, Marco Rubio and Jerry Moran wrote that they were alarmed by Solomon's comments and viewed them as an assault on businesses attempting to expand in right-to-work states.

"In light of Mr. Solomon's recent actions and continued threats, your withdrawal of Mr. Solomon's nomination as General Counsel to the NLRB would send a powerful signal that you will not allow intimidation and inappropriate interference by one of your nominees for a powerful post," the Senators wrote. "Instead of serving as an unbiased adjudicating body that protects the rights of employees and employers, the NLRB has demonstrated an unprecedented and unacceptable overreach of authority. Mr. Solomon's recent threat is further pressuring every employer to think twice about relocating within the U.S., while facing no retribution for moving outside the country."

The Senators concluded that "withdrawing Mr. Solomon's nomination would be an important first step," in keeping businesses from moving overseas looking for a better economic environment.

In a major departure from long-established law, the NLRB in April filed a complaint against Boeing, based in Chicago, Ill., claiming Boeing violated federal law simply by building a second production line in South Carolina, a right-to-work state. The NLRB dropped this complaint on December 9, only after Boeing made concessions to their union employees.