Peter Kirsanow

President-elect Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Peter N. Kirsanow, a Cleveland attorney and a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, as he leaves the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse Sunday.

(Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Prominent Cleveland attorney Peter Kirsanow was watching the Ohio State Buckeyes on TV Saturday afternoon when interrupted with a call. Could Kirsanow, a conservative who represents the management side in labor-management disputes, fly to New Jersey to meet with President-elect Donald Trump?

So much for the Bucks game. Kirsanow, an ongoing critic of unauthorized immigration and liberal views on civil rights, soon got on a plane so he could meet face-to-face Sunday with Trump and members of the president-elect's transition team at the Trump National Golf Club.

Kirsanow said he and Trump talked about labor and employment in general, but not about a specific job. Nevertheless, some conservatives have been promoting Kirsanow as a perfect pick for labor secretary.

American sovereignty defender and American jobs defender Peter Kirsanow for Labor Secretary! @transition2017 https://t.co/a7RonH7a9r — Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) November 17, 2016

Trump and the Cleveland attorney also discussed a view that Kirsanow has stated in Senate testimony and elsewhere: his belief that illegal immigration takes jobs from unskilled Americans, particularly black workers, and holds down wages and the labor participation rate. Kirsanow himself is black.

Kirsanow had never met Trump before, he told cleveland.com Monday, but his views were already known to Trump advisers. On Friday, Kirsanow had praised Trump's selection of Alabama U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general, a nomination already drawing controversy because of Sessions' comments on race several decades ago.

Sessions "has done more to protect the jobs and enhance the wages of black workers than anyone in either house of Congress over the last 10 years," Kirsanow told Breitbart, the alt-right website once run by Steve Bannon, now a top Trump advisor.

Here's a quick briefing on Kirsanow.

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A member of the National Labor Relations Board for two years, appointed by President George W. Bush.

A current member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a part-time appointment. Now in his third consecutive term, he was last reappointed by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. Kirsanow's initial appointment by Bush in 2001 sparked controversy and a lawsuit, ultimately

Here's what Kirsanow said.

On getting the call Saturday:

"They called me and it was one of the people from the chief of staff's office, Reince Priebus's, and asked if I could come to New Jersey," Kirsanow told cleveland.com in a telephone interview. "That was in the middle of the Buckeyes game and I laughed. He asked me why are you laughing, and what am I going to say, 'I want to finish watching the Buckeyes game?'"

Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, has been appointed Trump's chief of staff.

Kirsanow flew from Cleveland that night.

On his discussion with Trump:

"We didn't discuss any positions but we talked a lot about labor.

"I'm a labor lawyer, been a labor lawyer for 37 years, and I teach labor law and I've been on the National Labor Relations Board. So I know my stuff when it comes to labor, and I will tell you that I was not just impressed but astonished at his understanding of not just labor dynamics but of labor law itself."

On Trump's plans for labor issues such as the overtime-wage rule:

"We didn't talk about that specific issue, and we didn't talk about any of the other pending matters that either labor or management consider to be hot-ticket items for a new administration.

"What we talked about was general labor matters, and he knew the construction of the National Labor Relations Act, he's very familiar with what the Labor Department does. He has a good theoretical understanding of the interaction of labor laws, he has a good practical understanding.

"But we didn't address any specific issues and we didn't talk about this particular rule. He did talk about the importance of making sure we've got a labor regime that encourages more employment. That is, a higher labor participation rate. He wants to put more people to work, and he's going to do everything he can to make sure that more people are put to work at good wages, and that Americans are working."

On immigration and employment:

"We talked a little about immigration, but not a whole lot. He asked me about my position, that I've addressed in Senate testimony, about how uncontrolled illegal immigration has an adverse effect on the wage and employment levels of unskilled Americans and particularly black males.

"He was interested in hearing that, and he was absorbing a lot of this. He was just kind of nodding when I was saying certain things, and I couldn't tell if he was nodding in terms of encouraging me to continue to speak or that he was agreeing. But he was a good listener, as if he really wanted to hear the opinion of a little guy like me."

On a Trump administration position:

"We didn't talk about any specific positions, and he made it clear that what he was looking for is he wants the best people in the administration in the capacities in which they might serve best. We left it as they would get back in touch with me at some point. There were no commitments, no promises made, and I wasn't expecting any."

On whether he'd say yes:

"Anytime the president of the United States interviews you in the context of a Mitt Romney and others like that - I'm just a little old labor lawyer from Cleveland - you've got to be very receptive. It's just an honor to be considered by the president-elect."

On not answering that question:

"I've been around Washington a little bit. [He laughed.] But realistically, look, I got the phone call Saturday in the middle of the Buckeyes game, and right now I'm trying to absorb all of this. Right now I'm back at my desk at work and trying to do work for our clients, so it's taken a little bit of time."