May 18, 2001 — Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's nomination of Cecil Benjamin to head the Labor Department stalled at a marathon Senate Rules Committee meeting Thursday night, as members voted unanimously on an unfavorable recommendation to the full Senate.
The vote came after more than five hours of testimony, most of it from members of the St. Croix chapter of the American Federation of Teachers opposing Benjamin, who headed the organization for more than 20 years. Several teachers recounted experiences and grievances with Benjamin when he was president of the AFT.
Under questioning by senators, Benjamin either denied the testimonials or contradicted what was said.
"I think we need an impartial juror," Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole said after hearing the conflicting testimony. "His credibility has been put to the test."
"There is a cloud to me as to Mr. Benjamin’s credibility," Liburd said. "I’d like to make sure we clear this up …"
Casting the "unfavorable" votes were committee chair Carlton Dowe and members Adelbert Bryan, Cole, Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Norma Pickard-Samuel and Celestino White. Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen was absent for the vote but later concurred with her colleagues.
A motion by Bryan to reject Benjamin’s nomination outright and send it back to Turnbull failed to gain a second.
Benjamin will still have his day before the full Senate, at a date to be determined. His nomination has the support of the V.I. Democrat Party and the powerful Central Labor Council.
After the hearing, Hansen blasted Benjamin for his "deceitful, self-serving sell-out" of the St. Croix AFT during negotiations last year between the teachers union and the administration. Those negotiations ended with teachers and staff striking for several weeks last fall.
"I do not need to vote on any unfavorable recommendation to the floor," Hansen added. "I already know … that in good conscience I cannot vote to confirm this nominee for the position of commissioner for the Department of Labor."
If all seven Rules Committee members maintain their negative stance on the Senate floor, they would need the support of only one additional colleague to have the majority necessary to reject the nomination.
