Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced his pending resignation today - he will leave when a replacement has been confirmed, thus reversing an earlier, informal announcement he had made during an inauguration party on Jan. 21.
Kathryn A. Wolfe writes that "(t)he White House declined to specify a timeline for selecting a successor, and names swirling include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who would bolster the administration’s Hispanic credentials, and NTSB Chairwoman Debbie Hersman, who would give him a female Cabinet pick."
She mentions less likely picks including former chair of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and former Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) who would continue the reign of former Republican congressmen holding this cabinet position.
In a telephone interview, LaHood said that Obama asked him to stay on, but the former Republican congressman said this is “probably the best time for me to leave.”
“He asked me to stay. I’ve given it a lot of thought. The bottom line is I’ve been in public service now for 35 years,” LaHood said. “I believe in going out while they’re applauding..."
Indeed, there are many who applaud his strong advocacy for high speed rail investment and his safety initiative against distracted driving.
His message to Dept. of Transportation workers can be found on his Fast Lane blog that includes a list of DOT Accomplishments [PDF].
FULL STORY: Ray LaHood to resign from Obama administration
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