Obama makes 15 recess appointments, scolds GOP

WASHINGTON — Fed up with waiting, President Obama said Saturday he would bypass a vacationing Senate and name 15 people to key administration jobs, wielding for the first time the political tool known as the recess appointment.

The move deepened the divide between the Democratic president and Republicans in the Senate after a long fight over health care. Obama revealed his decision by accusing Republicans of holding up nominees for months solely to try to score a political advantage on him. "I simply cannot allow partisan politics to stand in the way of the basic functioning of government," he said.

The 15 appointees to boards and agencies include the contentious choice of union lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Republicans had blocked his nomination on grounds he would bring a pro-union agenda to the job.

Obama also chose a second member for the labor board, pro-union lawyer Mark Pearce, so that four of its five slots will be filled.

The board, which referees labor-management disputes, has had a majority of its seats vacant for more than two years, raising questions about the legality of its rulings.

Republican and Democratic presidents have made recess appointments, which circumvents the Senate's authority to confirm nominees. Former President George W. Bush made more than 170 such appointments in his two-term presidency.

The recess appointments mean the 15 people could serve in their jobs through the end of 2011, when the next Senate finishes its term. Obama's other appointments announced Saturday:

• Jeffrey Goldstein, undersecretary for domestic finance at the Treasury Department.

• Michael Mundaca, assistant secretary for tax policy at Treasury.

• Eric Hirschhorn, undersecretary of commerce for export administration and head of the Bureau of Industry and Security at the Commerce Department.

• Michael Punke, deputy trade representative — Geneva, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

• Francisco Sanchez, undersecretary for international trade, Commerce Department.

• Islam Siddiqui, chief agricultural negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

• Alan Bersin, commissioner of U.S. customs and border protection, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

• Jill Long Thompson, Farm Credit Administration Board.

• Rafael Borras, undersecretary for management, DHS.

• Jacqueline Berrien, chairwoman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

• Chai Feldblum, EEOC commissioner.

• Victoria Lipnic, EEOC commissioner.

• P. David Lopez, general counsel, EEOC.