Lisa Fierstein, the ex-wife of President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, accused him several times of physically assaulting her in the 1980s and even appeared in disguise on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" as a victim of domestic violence, Politico reported on Wednesday.
Women's groups are using the accusations in their fight to oppose Puzder's nomination, even though Fierstein retracted the allegations following Trump's victory in the presidential election.
Fierstein sent Puzder a letter in late November in which she said, "I impulsively filed for a divorce without your knowledge and was counseled then to file an allegation of abuse. I regretted and still regret that decision and I withdrew those allegations over 30 years ago. You were not abusive. I will most definitely confirm to anyone who may ask that in no way was there abuse. We had a heated argument."
Court records show that between 1986 and 1988 Fierstein filed at least three legal documents accusing Puzder of assaulting her in May 1986, including details that accused him of having "assaulted and battered [her] by striking her violently about the face, chest, back, shoulders, and neck, without provocation or cause," from which she "suffered severe and permanent injuries."
In addition to the abuse allegations, women's groups object to Puzder's comments on women and his overseeing, as CEO of fast-food company CKE Restaurants, of racy advertisements and overtly sexual promotions.
"Puzder is promoting a deeply offensive and misogynistic view of women: that women are sexual objects to be used to sell fast food," National Organization for Women President Terry O'Neill told NBC. "It's really disgusting."
A spokeswoman for the Trump transition dismissed the allegations of domestic abuse, telling Politico that "This is part of a desperate smear campaign to distract from President-elect Trump's agenda of creating jobs and opportunities for American workers.
"As both Mr. Puzder and Ms. Fierstein have made clear, these were false allegations that were made 30 years ago, and in fact, they are good friends."
Puzder's confirmation hearing will reportedly take place only next month due to the crowded schedule of nominations the Senate has on its slate.
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