Michael Baroody, VP for the National Association of Manufacturers, has withdrawn his nomination for Chairman of the Consumer Products Safety Commission after it was clear that he would not have enough votes to be confirmed.
A similarly conflicted and unpopular and unconfirmable nominee is unlikely. It was reported the other day that the Senate would reconvene every 10 days for "quickie 'pro forma' sessions" all summer long in order to prevent the Bush Administration from using recess appointments to seat nominees who could not win Senate confirmation.
John Engler, president of the NAM [aka, the answer to the question, "Who does Number Two work for?" and a guy who I'd bet cheats at golf] "said Baroody was the victim of an 'unprincipled smear campaign ... aided and abetted by unethical release of his financial records,'" a reference to reports of the $150,000 bonus the NAM was to pay Baroody this year as he began regulating his former employer/clients.
Baroody pulls nomination to head CPSC [ap/yahoo via consumerist]
