Donald Trump’s Labor Department Pick Accused of Domestic Abuse During 1989 Divorce

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of labor, Andrew Puzder, was accused of domestic abuse by his now ex-wife prior to their 1989 divorce, though she later walked back the accusations, reported the Riverfront Times. Breitbart’s Stephen Bannon, now Trump’s Chief Strategist, was also charged with domestic violence in the mid ’90s by his then-wife.

Puzder, the head of fast food chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardees, was accused of abuse by his wife Lisa Henning during the couple’s 1989 divorce. Police were reportedly called twice to the couple’s home. "There was no physical abuse at any point in time," Puzder told the Riverfront Times after the publication released a cover story about the allegations. He called Henning’s accusations “baseless” and denied any abuse in a divorce deposition.

Henning described the alleged abusive incidents in the divorce filing. On one occasion, Henning said Puzder hit her, threw her to the ground, and stopped her from calling the police afterward by disconnecting the phone. In the divorce deposition, Puzder said that although he did grab “[Henning] by the shoulders and pushed her back," it was because she was in danger of hurting herself.

Two other alleged incidents were even more violent, with a fight in the late ’70s escalating into a plate-throwing match. Henning also alleged Puzder punched her in 1985 during a car ride, which Puzder denied.

Puzder’s spokesperson sent the Riverfront Times an email from Puzder’s ex-wife to Puzder in which she took back the domestic abuse allegations. The Nov. 30 email sees Henning say Puzder was not abusive.