WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack
Obama's choice for health secretary in his cabinet, Tom Daschle, withdrew his
nomination on Tuesday over tax problems.
"This morning, Tom Daschle asked me to withdraw his
nomination for secretary of health and human services," Obama said in a
statement. "I accept his decision with sadness and regret."
Secretary-designate for Health and Human
Services Tom Daschle speaks to the media after meeting with Senate Finance
Committee about his pending nomination on Capitol Hill in Washington
February 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Daschle said that he made the decision because he is
not a leader who can have the full faith of Congress and will be a distraction
to Obama's administration.
"We need the best care in America to be available to
all Americans," Daschle said in the statement issued from the White House.
"Lives and livelihoods are at stake."
Daschle was the second nominee to the Obama
administration that withdrew on Tuesday, following the former nominee for White
House chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, who was also plagued by a
personal tax issue.
U.S. media reports said earlier that Daschle, a
former Senator from South Dakota, was forced to pay on Jan. 2 more than 120,000
U.S. dollars in back taxes for failing to report using a car and driver service
provided by a wealthy friend for over three years.
Daschle apologized on Monday in a letter to the
Senate Finance Committee, which would decide on his confirmation, saying that he
was "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about his failure to pay taxes.
"I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed by the
errors that required me to amend my tax returns," said Daschle. "I apologize for
the errors and profoundly regret that you have had to devote time to them."
Apart from the tax issue, Daschle's nomination was
also haunted by his financial disclosure filed about a week ago, showing he made
more than 200,000 dollars in the past two years by speaking to the health care
industry that he is tasked to reform.
Nevertheless, Obama voiced his "absolute" support for
Daschle on Monday.
The nation's leading newspaper, the New York Times,
called for Daschle's withdrawal in its Tuesday editorial, saying "only after the
Obama transition team flagged unrelated tax issues that would require filing
amended returns did Mr. Daschle and his accountant address the need to report
the personal use value of the car service -- more than 255,000 U.S. dollars over
three years -- as income."
It was considered another embarrassment for the Obama
administration, which has witnessed three key designees give up their nomination
for scandals related to corruption cases and tax problems.
Obama's first choice for commerce secretary, Bill
Richardson, withdrew his nomination last month due to involvement in a
corruption case still under investigation. The president on Tuesday nominated
Republican Senator Judd Gregg as a replacement.
However, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who was
also criticized for not paying enough tax but in a smaller scale, survived the
Senate confirmation last week.
Barack Obama (L) introduces former U.S.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (R) as Secretary of the Department of
Health and Human Services during a news conference in Chicago, December
11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama
said on Monday that he still supported his health secretary choice, who has been
criticized for cheating on tax payments.
Asked if he still backs Tom Daschle, a former
senator, in the Oval Office, Obama replied "absolutely." Full story
Barack Obama announces his appointment
of former Treasury official Nancy Killefer (R) as the first White House
"chief performance officer" to oversee budget and spending reform, during
a news conference at his transition office in Washington January 7, 2009.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack
Obama's choice for chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, withdrew her
nomination on Tuesday, said the White House.
"She has withdrawn and we accepted her withdrawal," a
White House spokesman was quoted as saying by the local media. Full story
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect
Barack Obama on Thursday named former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle,a
leading advocate for health care reform, to be his health secretary.
Speaking at a press conference in Chicago, Obama said
Daschle will also oversee the new White House Office of Health
Reform. Full story
