The Wyoming Democratic Party on Thursday called on U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., to withdraw his opposition to President Barack Obama's nomination of Patricia Smith as Department of Labor solicitor.

"Ms. Smith has a long record of standing up for the average worker in her efforts to right overtime and minimum wage violations within New York. We are pleased with her nomination to this position and urge Senator Enzi to remove his hold on the confirmation," Wyoming Democratic Party director of communications Brianna Jones said in a prepared statement.

As ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Enzi placed a hold on Smith's nomination, claiming there were four contradictory statements in her testimony to the committee.

"His objection to her nomination lies with what she told the committee versus what documents show, not with labor law in general," Enzi's spokeswoman Elly Pickett told the Star-Tribune.

One of those contradictions was the origin of the idea for the Wage Watch program in New York, which Democrats claim is an innocent matter of recollection rather than something that warrants holding up confirmation of the third-ranking seat in the Department of Labor.

In the national media, Enzi has been credited for single-handedly holding up the Smith nomination. But Pickett noted that all minority members of the Labor Committee objected to the nomination. As ranking member of the committee, Enzi is the one who placed a hold on the nomination.

As Labor Department solicitor, Smith would serve as general counsel to the Secretary of Labor. She would be responsible for helping shape policy, oversee litigation and coordinate the activities of the Wage and Hour Division.

Jones said the importance of the office was underscored by a Government Accountability Office investigation completed in March. The investigation revealed a "sluggish and ineffective" investigative process within the Wage and Hour Division, according to Jones.

The GAO discovered the division failed to successfully investigate nine of 10 fictitious cases. The report identified 20 cases affecting at least 1,160 real employees whose employers were inadequately investigated, according to Jones.

"The Department of Labor is essential in regulation and enforcement of key worker protections. A partially staffed department cannot effectively respond to violations," said Jones.

Pickett said Enzi has a record of supporting full and fair enforcement of national labor laws. Additionally, Enzi has supported the vast majority of President Obama's labor nominations, including Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

"He takes seriously the advise and consent duty the Senate is charged with for presidential nominees," said Pickett. "He would oppose anyone who isn't consistent under sworn testimony."

Contact energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer at 307-577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com. Read his energy blog at tribtown.trib.com/DustinBleizeffer/blog