Embattled TSA Nominee Withdraws

(CBS/ AP)  The Obama administration's choice to lead the Transportation Security Administration withdrew his name Wednesday.

In a statement, Erroll Southers said he was pulling out because his nomination had become a lightning rod for those with a political agenda. President Barack Obama 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 Southers would allow TSA employees to engage in collective bargaining with the government.

Southers has come under attack since his nomination, reported CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson earlier this month.

Questions have 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.

Obama's First Year in Office

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.

[FauxNews]

This is good news. There are other qualified people, who have not lied to Congress, who can take his place.

[NowBeWithThat]

Southers knows his past and his estranged wife will prove a liability to the Obama Administration. He lacks character.

[nowhiningallowed]

The guy lied and his supporters were all primed to push him through. He finally did the right thing by withdrawing. The people won.

[grandfatherdizzy]

There will always be a disconnect. Problem is not TSA. Government services will never be able to bridge the disconnect between the appointed lobbyist and the small guy actually doing the screening. Private business also is experiencing the disconnect. The minimum wage guy could careless. How do we fix the problem. The answers are new questions. Let hope there are more good people than bad.

[jamessamans]

The TSA has been incompetent since its creation (by a Republican administration, I recall), even though *gasp* it's never been allowed to collectively bargain.

And yes, I'm sure that this former FBI agent must be a "liberal" (as if that somehow matters anyway?) because, after all, he was nominated by Barack Obama - who, to far-right lunatic conservatives, is the most "liberal" president in their memories. (Most can't name any president farther back than Reagan anyway.)

[endurorob_5]

Actually the TSA was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security act passed by the Democrat led congress and signed by Bush.

[nasadawg]

It would be more effective if it was placed under the FBI for control/admin and funding. This would help make sure they were in the info loop and not a administration appointment. Take the Polic. out of it.

[dante805]

Another Liberal loon withdraws...good! This guy just lied to congress and Harry Reid was ready to push him through this week to make political points. LOL. Harry you cant do anything right.

[endurorob_5]

Time to withdraw before more negative information and lies come to light and embarass the Obama administration.