WASHINGTON – Citing strong policy differences with the Obama administration in two key areas, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) announced today he is no longer interested in being secretary of commerce.
"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," he said in a statement. "Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns."
Because of concerns about Gregg's party affiliation, the White House has proposed to move the census to being overseen by the White House, which raised concerns among some about possible partisan influence.
Recommended For You
Gregg would have been the third Republican in the Cabinet, joining Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Obama has had difficulty finding a secretary of commerce. His first choice, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, because of an ongoing investigation into his campaign practices.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
