Green Energy
ABC:
TSA Nominee Withdraws Amid 'Political Agenda'
Obama administration's TSA nominee withdraws amid 'political agenda'
By JULIE PACE
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON
The Obama adminstration's choice to run the Transportation Security Administration is blaming a contentious political climate for his withdrawl.
In an e-mail to friends and colleagues, Erroll Southers says the environment in Washington is such that "exceptional, apolitical" candidates have to seriously consider their willingness to participate in public service. He says he hopes his experience doesn't become the norm over the next few months.
Southers' confirmation has been blocked by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who says he was worried that Southers would allow TSA employees to have collective bargaining rights.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Transportation Security Administration withdrew his name Wednesday, a blow to an administration trying to explain how a man could attempt to blow up a commercial airliner on Christmas Day.
In a statement, Erroll Southers said he was pulling out because his nomination had become a lightning rod for those with a political agenda. Obama had tapped Southers, a former FBI agent, to lead the TSA in September but his confirmation has been blocked by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, who says he was worried that Southers would allow TSA employees to have collective bargaining rights.
Questions have also been raised about a reprimand that Southers received for running background checks on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend two decades ago. Southers wrote a letter to lawmakers earlier this month acknowledging that he had given inconsistent answers to Congress on that issue.
In an October affidavit for the Senate Homeland Security committee, Southers initially said he asked a San Diego police employee to run a background check on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend and was censured by his FBI superiors 20 years ago for what he said was an isolated instance.
But a day after the committee approved his nomination and sent it to the full Senate, he wrote to the senators and told them that he was incorrect, that he had twice run background checks himself.
The White House said Wednesday that the president had accepted Southers' withdrawal with great sadness and continued to believe he would have made an excellent TSA administrator.
The withdrawal of Southers' nomination was another setback for the TSA at a time when the government is still trying to answer questions from Congress about how a man was able to carry out a bombing attempt on Christmas Day on a Northwest Airlines flight found from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Democrats had lined up behind Southers' nomination after the December incident, with Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., saying he would call for a full Senate vote on his confirmation this year.
Senate Democrats also have accused Republicans of stalling the nomination of Caryn Wagner, the administration's nominee for undersecretary of intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security.
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Green Energy
Souther Throws in the Towel
ABC:
TSA Nominee Withdraws Amid 'Political Agenda'
Obama administration's TSA nominee withdraws amid 'political agenda'
By JULIE PACE
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON
The Obama adminstration's choice to run the Transportation Security Administration is blaming a contentious political climate for his withdrawl.
In an e-mail to friends and colleagues, Erroll Southers says the environment in Washington is such that "exceptional, apolitical" candidates have to seriously consider their willingness to participate in public service. He says he hopes his experience doesn't become the norm over the next few months.
Southers' confirmation has been blocked by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who says he was worried that Southers would allow TSA employees to have collective bargaining rights.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Transportation Security Administration withdrew his name Wednesday, a blow to an administration trying to explain how a man could attempt to blow up a commercial airliner on Christmas Day.
In a statement, Erroll Southers said he was pulling out because his nomination had become a lightning rod for those with a political agenda. Obama had tapped Southers, a former FBI agent, to lead the TSA in September but his confirmation has been blocked by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, who says he was worried that Southers would allow TSA employees to have collective bargaining rights.
Questions have also been raised about a reprimand that Southers received for running background checks on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend two decades ago. Southers wrote a letter to lawmakers earlier this month acknowledging that he had given inconsistent answers to Congress on that issue.
In an October affidavit for the Senate Homeland Security committee, Southers initially said he asked a San Diego police employee to run a background check on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend and was censured by his FBI superiors 20 years ago for what he said was an isolated instance.
But a day after the committee approved his nomination and sent it to the full Senate, he wrote to the senators and told them that he was incorrect, that he had twice run background checks himself.
The White House said Wednesday that the president had accepted Southers' withdrawal with great sadness and continued to believe he would have made an excellent TSA administrator.
The withdrawal of Southers' nomination was another setback for the TSA at a time when the government is still trying to answer questions from Congress about how a man was able to carry out a bombing attempt on Christmas Day on a Northwest Airlines flight found from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Democrats had lined up behind Southers' nomination after the December incident, with Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., saying he would call for a full Senate vote on his confirmation this year.
Senate Democrats also have accused Republicans of stalling the nomination of Caryn Wagner, the administration's nominee for undersecretary of intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security.
-
Washington Times: Obama sets up clash with Congress over recess banking pick Breaks Democrats’ own rule from Bush administration Congressional officials said President Obama used his recess appointment powers Wednesday to name a head for the controversial...
- Even On Vacation Uncle Barry's Just Pissin' In Everybody's Cornflakes
Jerusalem Post: Obama bypasses Senate, appoints envoy to Syria By ASSOCIATED PRESS 12/30/2010 03:20 Robert Ford to become first US ambassador to Damascus since 2005; opponents say move rewards Syrian regime for bad behavior. WASHINGTON — US President...
-
CNSNews: Obama Bypasses Senate With More Recess Appointments, Including First Ambassador to Syria in 5 Years Thursday, December 30, 2010 By Matthew Lee, Associated Press Washington (AP) - President Barack Obama has bypassed the Senate and directly appointed...
- Harry Reid: The Eunuch Bomber Was The Republicans Fault
and other atrocities. Egads. Newsmax: Harry Reid: GOP Threatens National Security Tuesday, 02 Feb 2010 08:26 PM By: Dan Weil It’s usually Republicans who declare Democrats as lax on national security. But now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is turning...
-
Obama’s Latest Nutjob: TSA Nominee Erroll Southers Says Pro-Life Advocates Are Terrorists (Video) From Gateway: Just when you thought this administration could not get any weirder… Barack Obama’s Transportation Security Administration nominee Erroll...