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Obama's transition hits snags with Cabinet picks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-15 16:11 WASHINGTON - US President-elect Barack Obama's smooth transition process hit a snag less than a week before his historic swearing-in as questions over his choice for treasury secretary delayed the confirmation hearing for that key post. Obama's pick for attorney general also was expected to face aggressive questioning Thursday, as it became increasingly apparent that not all Cabinet choices would earn quick approval from Congress. Obama had been hoping to have all his Cabinet members confirmed by Tuesday, or Inauguration Day, which would have allowed him to have a team up and running shortly after he takes office in the midst of an economic crisis and two wars.
Several have been well received, including former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, who could be confirmed as secretary of state within hours of Obama's taking the oath of office Tuesday. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee planned to vote on her selection Thursday.
But the transition toward Obama becoming the 44th U.S. president hit an embarrassing bump Tuesday when Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner owned up in a closed-door session with senators to failing to pay $34,000 in taxes from 2001 to 2004. The oversight has been corrected, but Senators on Wednesday pushed back his confirmation hearings by at least a week. And Thursday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Eric Holder, Obama's choice for attorney general, promised to be the most contentious so far among Obama's Cabinet choices amid questions over some of his past decisions. They include roles in awarding clemency to Puerto Rican separatist bombers and in Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.
Obama on Wednesday called the disclosure about Geithner's taxes embarrassing, but an innocent error. "It is a mistake that is commonly made for people who are working internationally or for international institutions. It has been corrected. He paid the penalties," Obama said. "My expectation is that Tim Geithner will be confirmed." Geithner was not the first Obama nominee to face controversy. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name on January 4 as Obama's Commerce secretary after questions surfaced about an ongoing federal investigation into how political donors landed a lucrative transportation contract. A number of other Cabinet appointees were also being vetted by Senate committees on Wednesday. Among them was Environmental Protection Agency appointee Lisa Jackson, who pledged to revisit Bush administration decisions on gas emissions blamed for global warming, among other issues. They also included Obama's choice to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who was the Army's first four-star general of Japanese-American descent. As Army chief of staff, he helped lead the Army's transformation to a lighter, more mobile force. He retired in 2003, shortly after clashing with the Bush administration on war policy. |
