Facing Opposition, EPA Nominees Withdraw (on a Saturday)

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/facingoppositionepanomineeswithdraw;_ylt=Ai9eL6_x.sxi.TSWTELoAb7MWM0F
Facing Opposition, EPA Nominees Withdraw

By Bret Schulte Sun Apr 15, 12:39 AM ET

The White House's withdrawal of nominees to two key EPA posts yesterday was a welcome surprise to Democrats. A congressional aide tells U.S. News that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee received the news just as it was poised to announce a hearing scheduled for next week to consider the controversial nominations of Alex Beehler as inspector general and William Wehrum as assistant administrator for air and radiation.


Wehrum has been holding the post on an interim basis since Democrats blocked his nomination over ties to the energy industry. With Democrats now in the majority, Wehrum and Beehler were unlikely to be confirmed and faced a testy hearing led by a sharp critic, Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), chair of the Environment Committee. In a statement, she called Wehrum's departure "good news," charging that he has "worked to serve polluters instead of families." Senate Democrats have received assurances from the administration that the two will not be given the posts via recess appointments, says an insider.

Meanwhile, congressional Democrats say they want to work across the aisle to find nominees palatable to both parties for the posts, delivering the White House a message that more controversial nominees will not be confirmed.

[DCKit]

1. Not confirmed, they'll be appointed at the next recess n/t

[nam78_two]

2. K&R.nt