Puerto Rico Official: Pierluisi to Be Nominated as State Secretary
Puerto Rico legislator says the US territory's embattled governor is nominating former congressional representative Pedro Pierluisi as secretary of state
FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2015 file photo, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, D-P.R., testifies before the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Puerto Rico's current economic conditions and long-term fiscal health, in Washington.
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - Puerto Rico's governor says he's chosen former Congress representative Pedro Pierluisi as the U.S. territory's secretary of state. That post would put Pierluisi in line to be governor when Rossello steps down this week – but he's unlikely to be approved by legislators.
Ricardo Rossello made the announcement Wednesday via Twitter and said he would hold a special session on Thursday so legislators can vote on his nomination.
Rossello has said he'll resign on Friday following massive protests in which Puerto Ricans demanded he step down.
Top legislators have already said they will reject Pierluisi's nomination because he works for a law firm that represents the federal control board overseeing Puerto Rico's finances and say that's a conflict of interest.
Pierluisi represented Puerto Rico in Congress from 2009-2017.