Nobody wants to work with Timmy the Tax Cheat
First Judd Gregg (Census), now Annette Nazareth (Treasury), Caroline Atkinson (Treasury), Sanjay Gupta (Surgeon General), Susan Tierney (Energy), Jane Garvey (Transportation)
Thank goodness nothing significant is happening in the economy that would require Treasury Department attention.
Timmy the Tax Cheat is running Treasury all by himself:
The person Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner wanted as his chief deputy withdrew from consideration Thursday, dealing a setback to the agency as it struggles to address the worst financial crisis in decades.
Annette Nazareth, a former senior staffer and commissioner with the Securities and Exchange Commission, made “a personal decision” to withdraw from the process, according to a person familiar with her decision.
[…]
Geithner has been criticized for staffing his department too slowly as it grapples with a banking crisis that has crippled the economy. Uncertainty about Treasury staff also has unnerved financial markets.
Five weeks into his tenure, he has yet to name a single top deputy or assistant secretary. This has left Treasury with too few people authorized to make decisions or represent the department in meetings with stakeholders.
These guys are starting to make the Bush Administration look competent.
-- W.C. Varones
polipundit.com
-----------------------------
WSJ: More staffing woes at Treasury
Some more non-confidence-inspiring news from Treasury:
Annette Nazareth, who was expected to be tapped as Deputy Treasury Secretary, has taken her name out of the running for the job, these people said.
In addition, Mr. Geithner's pick for undersecretary for international affairs, Caroline Atkinson, has also withdrawn her name from consideration.
Also: Gupta's gone.
By Ben Smith 06:42 PM
politico.com
--------------------------------
Gupta withdraws surgeon general bid
By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 3/5/09 7:38 PM EST Text Size:
Gupta’s decision is yet another blow to Obama’s effort to expand health coverage this year.
Photo: AP
CNN’s Sanjay Gupta withdrew his name from consideration for surgeon general Thursday, denying President Barack Obama a popular pitchman for his effort to sell a major health-care overhaul effort to the American people.
Gupta’s withdrawal is yet another blow to Obama’s effort to expand health coverage this year – a push that already has seen the departure of Obama’s first choice for health secretary, Tom Daschle, over back-tax problems.
Gupta’s name surfaced as the leading candidate when Daschle was still expected to take the health secretary post. When Daschle stepped aside, Gupta reportedly had second thoughts, and questioned how he would fit into the new regime at the White House and Health and Human Services department. Obama named Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as health secretary on Monday.
Gupta did run into some resistance. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) circulated a letter to his colleagues calling the choice misguided, and some doctors complained the job was about more than publicity.
Gupta has been expected to serve as a chief communicator on the health care reform effort, combining his skills as an on-air medical reporter and neurosurgeon to elucidate a complex topic.
An administration official said Gupta had been under “serious consideration,” but he wanted to focus more on his medical career and his family.
“His wife is expecting another child right now,” CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said Thursday on “The Situation Room. “And of course, he wants to continue to be our chief medical correspondent at CNN.”
Gupta is scheduled to be the first guest Thursday on “Larry King Live.”
politico.com |
