Free Republic

PM arrives at president's official Jerusalem residence to submit his resignation after 33 months in office. Peres promises to work quickly toward establishment of new coalition, thanks Olmert for his 'contribution to country' Roni Sofer Latest Update: 09.21.08, 20:19 / Israel News Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at President Shimon Peres' official residence in Jerusalem Sunday evening in order to submit his resignation just 33 months after taking office. Peres told reporters shortly after receiving the letter that he "appreciates the special way in which Olmert decided to transfer power. It was not an easy decision to make and I...

TOKYO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Unpopular Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said on Monday that he had decided to resign in an effort to break a political deadlock. Fukuda has been struggling to cope with a divided parliament where the opposition parties control the upper house and can delay legislation. "If we are to prioritise the people's livelihoods, there cannot be a political vacuum from political bargaining, or a lapse in policies. We need a new team to carry out policies," Fukuda said.

"....Pakistan now enters a dangerous moment of instability. It is not yet clear who will replace Musharraf, and as I’ve written before, Pakistan has long been one car bomb away from a bin Laden-ally seizing power. Should an al Qaeda-type Radical gain control of the country and its nuclear weapons, we could be facing an apocalyptic moment....." For all his many flaws, Musharraf was steadily becoming a Reformer. After 9/11, he became a key ally of the U.S., helping us in our war against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan rather than interferring. He and his security forces worked...

WASHINGTON - John McCain's national finance co-chairman has stepped down, becoming the latest adviser to leave the Republican's presidential campaign because of ties to lobbyists. Former Texas Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler, one of McCain's key fundraisers, resigned after the campaign last week instructed staff to disclose all lobbying ties and to make certain they are no longer registered as lobbyists or foreign agents. McCain's campaign on Sunday confirmed Loeffler's resignation. Loeffler lobbies for the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., which with Northrop Grumman Corp. won a lucrative contract to provide air refueling tankers for the Air Force. McCain helped...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's attorney general has resigned amid the scandal of a sexual harassment investigation in his office and his extramarital affair. Marc Dann has been under pressure of possible impeachment and announced he was stepping down on Wednesday. The 46-year-old Democrat at first refused to resign, despite demands by Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and others within his party. Dann admitted May 2 to an extramarital affair with an employee that he said contributed to an atmosphere leading to sexual harassment claims against a top aide. Three aides were forced out in the harassment investigation, which showed managers encouraged...

WASHINGTON - An aide to President Bush has resigned because of an alleged misuse of grant money from U.S. Agency for International Development and his former employer, a Cuban democracy organization. Felipe Sixto was promoted on March 1 as a special assistant to the president for intergovernmental affair and stepped forward on March 20 to reveal his alleged wrongdoing and to resign, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said on Friday. The matter has been turned over to the Justice Department for investigation, Stanzel said. He said Bush was briefed on the case and felt that the approriate action was being...

NEW YORK - Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace Wednesday after getting caught in a call-girl scandal that shattered his corruption-fighting, straight-arrow image, saying: "I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's work." Spitzer made the announcement without having finalized a plea deal with federal prosecutors, though a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said he is believed to still be negotiating one. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. "Over the course of my public life, I've insisted, I think correctly, that people regardless of their position or power...

Fidel Castro Steps Down...

Bob Knight, the winningest NCAA men's division I basketball coach in history, has retired as Texas Tech's coach effective immediately. Knight, 67, won his 902nd game Saturday when the Red Raiders downed Oklahoma State. He will be replaced by his son, Pat. Knight informed athletic director Gerald Myers of his decision Monday morning. Knight won three national titles at Indiana, in 1976, '81 and '87. In all, he took the Hoosiers to 24 NCAA tournament appearances and reached the Final Four two other times. During his tenure at Texas Tech, Knight was 138-82, and he led the Red Raiders to...

DETROIT - Christine Beatty, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's chief of staff, said Monday she is resigning amid allegations that she and the mayor lied under oath about an affair. In a letter to Kilpatrick that was released by his office, Beatty said she believes she can no longer effectively carry out her duties. Her resignation takes effect Feb. 8. "I painfully regret the devastation that the recent reports have caused to the citizens of Detroit, to my co workers, to the Mayor's family and to my family and friends," Beatty wrote in the letter. Kilpatrick spokesman James Canning said the...

What happens to the delegates a candidate has collected in the various primaries and caucuses when they drop out before the convention ? I have been searching all over and cannot really find an explanation about this. Do the delegates get to choose who they want to vote for ? Does the resigning candidates endorsement of another candidate impact that decision ? Does they go to the 2nd place winner in the state etc ? I'm sure it varies by state etc. How does this work ?

TOPEKA, Kan. - Attorney General Paul Morrison announced his resignation Friday, less than a week after he acknowledged having an extramarital affair with a former employee who has accused him of sexual harassment, and of professional misconduct aimed at his predecessor. "I have held others accountable for their actions, and now I must be held accountable for my mistakes," Morrison said in a statement read to reporters. At one point, he paused to gather himself. "Many people feel betrayed by my actions, and they have every right to feel that way." Morrison's resignation is effective Jan. 31, 2008. Gov. Kathleen...

WASHINGTON -- The Republican Party's highest-ranking Latino official abruptly resigned Friday, marking the latest casualty in the GOP's bitter internal fight over immigration and dealing another setback to President Bush's years-long effort to court Latino voters. The announcement by Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida that he was quitting as general chairman of the Republican National Committee came after he had expressed frustration over the tenor of the immigration debate within his party. ... "Mel Martinez was a symbol of the party's outreach to Latinos, and that seems to be disappearing," said Lionel Sosa, a longtime Republican strategist and advisor to...

ATLANTIC CITY - The possible whereabouts of Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy continue to make national news, including top billing Saturday on AOL's list of news stories, fueling additional media focus on his mysterious absence. Major news organizations such as Fox News and NPR also are planning coverage into next week. Levy vanished from public life Sept. 26, the day he signed seven ordinances and city officials said he transferred power to city Business Administrator Domenic Cappella. Officials, his family and his lawyer have refused to say where he is, claiming privacy regulations that experts say do not apply. Levy's...

BOISE, Idaho - Idaho Sen. Larry Craig resigned Saturday over a men's room sex sting, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about a scandal dimming their election prospects. "I apologize for what I have caused," Craig said. Craig's resignation completed a stunning downfall that began Monday with the disclosure that he had pleaded guilty to a reduced charge following his arrest during a sex sting in a Minneapolis airport men's room. Although leading members of his own party had called for him to step down, Craig steadfastly resisted resigning for days, contending that he had done nothing wrong and...

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig plans to announce his future plans Saturday following calls from Republicans urging him to resign after an arrest in connection to a police sex sting. Dan Whiting, Craig's spokesman, said there would be an announcement Saturday but would not say whether Craig will step down. Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter already appears to have settled on a successor: Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, according to several Republicans familiar with internal deliberations.

A low-level appointee of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger resigned Thursday after the Democratic leader of the state Senate accused him of posting a picture on his blog that amounted to "hate speech." Sam Wakim, a member of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, had posted a picture of a fake California driver's license designed to depict an illegal-immigrant in a sombrero. The posting was made in 2005 during one of many attempts by legislative Democrats to have Schwarzenegger sign a bill to provide driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, called the blog posting...

<p>WASHINGTON — Deputy Attorney General Paul McNultysaid Monday he will resign, the highest-ranking Bush administration casualty in the furor over the firing of U.S. attorneys. Below is the text of his letter.</p> <p>This is to advise you of my intention to step down from my position as Deputy Attorney General on a date to be determined in the late summer.</p>

WASHINGTON - Democratic Rep. Martin Meehan, known for his work on campaign finance reform, formally submitted his resignation from Congress on Wednesday, paving the way for him to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Meehan, 50, said his resignation letter was delivered to House officials Wednesday morning. His resignation is effective July 1. University of Massachusetts trustees in March had approved Meehan as head of the Lowell campus, his alma mater. Meehan, who was elected to Congress in 1992, graduated cum laude from UMass-Lowell in 1978. "I have a strong attachment to the school," said Meehan in...

BP chief Lord Browne has quit after admitting he lied to the High Court over how he met his gay lover. Following his resignation, Lord Browne said: "In my 41 years with BP I have kept my private life separate from my business life. I have always regarded my sexuality as a personal matter, to be kept private."

A lobbyist tied to the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal has resigned from the law firm where he worked, company officials said Monday. Kevin Ring worked with Abramoff until early 2005 and previously was an aide to California GOP Rep. John Doolittle, whose ties to the convicted GOP lobbyist are under investigation in the ongoing corruption probe. Ring resigned effective last Friday from Barnes & Thornburg LLP, said managing partner Alan A. Levin. Ring joined Barnes & Thornburg after leaving Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig LLP. Barnes & Thornburg is based in Indianapolis and has offices throughout the Midwest and in Washington....

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/NEWS01/704140349/1002 rules:link only

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Michigan's first female U.S. attorney says she is stepping down, prompting speculation that she is the latest in a wave of resignations forced by the Bush administration. Margaret M. Chiara, 63, said Friday she would resign her position effective March 16, but did not say why. She said in a statement issued by her office that she intends to remain in public service. Chiara was unavailable for comment Friday because she was attending to personal matters, an aide said. Seven other U.S. attorneys have been forced to resign in recent months. Democrats have accused the Bush...

Mr. Bolton served with exemplary tact at Turtle Bay, notwithstanding critics who said he wouldn't. More important, he has stood forcefully for American interests despite the leaks and sniping from the office of Secretary General Kofi Annan. He helped to corral votes for resolutions isolating Iran and North Korea for their nuclear programs. He was assailed for leading the fight against Mr. Annan's "reformed" Human Rights Council, but he and the U.S. are now looking prescient as that Council descends into one more Israel-bashing cabal. He also fought harder for U.N. reform than have his critics who claim to want...

Well. It's confirmed. Senator McCain resigned his honorary position from the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet University. Like one commenter said, "McCain can take a LOT of flak- Gee, Deafies ran off the guy who stood up to the North VN Communists! ACK!" Indeed. McCain was a POW in North Vietnam. He's now an ex-honorary member of Gallaudet's Board of Trustees....

WASHINGTON - Rep. Mark Foley (news, bio, voting record), R-Fla., resigned from Congress on Friday, effective immediately, in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former male page. "I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent," he said in a statement issued by his office. The two-sentence statement did not refer to the e-mails and gave no reason for Foley's decision to abruptly abandon a flourishing career in Congress. Foley, 52, had been a shoo-in for a new term until the e-mail...

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Hewlett-Packard Co. shoved Chairwoman Patricia Dunn off its board Friday, severing its ties to a leader whose efforts to plug a media leak morphed into a spying scandal that has spawned criminal and congressional investigations. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company will turn the chairmanship over to its chief executive, Mark Hurd, who was supposed to take over that job in January as part of changes announced two weeks ago. But things have changed since then amid a wave of leaked documents revealing how deeply HP's investigators intruded into the personal lives of seven directors, nine journalists,...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Ford Motor Co. Tuesday surprised the auto industry by tapping senior Boeing executive Alan Mulally as its new chief executive officer, succeeding current CEO Bill Ford, who will stay on as chairman. Mulally, 61, who heads Boeing's commercial airplane unit, will become president and CEO of Ford immediately as the struggling automaker gets set to unveil a huge overhaul of its North American auto operations. Mulally was most recently executive vice president at Boeing .

WASHINGTON - Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, the department's No. 2 official, is resigning, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced Monday. Rice praised Zoellick's "tireless work ethic," and said he had served as her "alter ego" in the department. She did not announce a replacement. "Our nation is stronger and safer because of your work," Rice said at the State Department. Zoellick told reporters later that he had informed Rice and the White House months ago he was thinking of leaving the post. After six intensive years as U.S. trade chief and then as Rice's deputy, "I determined to...

WASHINGTON - CIA Director Porter Goss has resigned, a senior administration official said. President Bush, who has been making staff changes at the White House to reinvigoriate his second term, was making another personnel announcement Friday. Bush's new chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, has made several changes since taking over last month. Recently, longtime Bush adviser and confidant Karl Rove had the policy-making portion of his portfolio taken away so he could focus on the midterm elections and White House press secretary Scott McClellan announced his resignation. McClellan has been replaced by Fox News commentator Tony Snow. McClellan's last briefing...

MONTERREY, Mexico - The former police chief of the border city of Nuevo Laredo on Friday said he resigned because he was tired from the stress of working in a city dominated by drug cartels fighting a bloody turf war. Omar Pimentel, 38, resigned late Wednesday, hours after police found three charred bodies dumped by the side of a road leading into Nuevo Laredo. Police did not immediately know how the bodies got there or who was behind the killings. "The truth is that I was tired. It's a tough job and with so much pressure that it becomes mentally...

No warning. Just resigned. No further details.

Embattled Greensboro Police Chief Resigns 10 minutes ago Greensboro Chief of Police David Wray has announced his resignation. In a letter dated Monday morning, Wray said events of the past several months created controversy and hurt his ability to lead the force. Assistant Chief Tim Bellamy was named acting chief effective immediately, according to City Manager Mitchell Johnson. Wray has dealt with allegations of a unit in his department targeting officers with investigations based on race. Johnson is reviewing a report concerning the accusations. Scheduling of officers has also caused unrest in the department. Johnson last month told Wray he...

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) - Former Indian foreign minister Natwar Singh resigned from the cabinet in the wake of charges that he and the ruling Congress party skimmed the UN oil-for-food scheme in Iraq. "I reiterate that I am completely innocent.... However, I do not wish to be the excuse for opposition to stall the parliament. Hence I have decided to tender my resignation from the cabinet," Singh told reporters. He said that he had not violated any law in "letter or spirit." Singh was removed from the foreign ministry last month pending an inquiry into a UN report naming...

CHICAGO -- The sheer and utter perfection found by the White Sox during their championship 2005 campaign now has been extended into the offseason. General manager Ken Williams and his staff entered this particular period with two major goals in mind: Re-sign free agent first baseman Paul Konerko and add a left-handed power presence to the middle of the White Sox order. The second goal was accomplished first, with the acquisition of designated hitter Jim Thome from Philadelphia. But the offseason's most important moment played out for the White Sox on Wednesday, as Konerko and the team agreed to a...

Just got this information from alice_in_bubbaland, who attended the meeting at Warrent Comminuty College last night. The Prof. (John Daly) submitted his resignation letter and the Board of Trustees accepted it!!!!!!!!!

(click here to see it reeeeeeeally large)

NEW YORK - The fire department's new Muslim chaplain abruptly resigned Friday after saying in a published interview that a broader conspiracy, not 19 al-Qaida hijackers, may have been responsible for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "It became clear to him that he would have difficulty functioning as an FDNY chaplain," Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta told reporters an hour before Imam Intikab Habib was to be officially sworn in. "There has been no prior indication that he held those views." Habib told Newsday in an interview published Friday that he was skeptical of the official version of the attack on...

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Facing an intensifying federal corruption probe, state Sen. Ernest Newton II announced his resignation Thursday by invoking slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and calling himself "the Moses of my people." Newton, one of Connecticut's most visible black elected officials, criticized racism in America while making his announcement on the steps of Bridgeport's city hall. Standing in a driving rain at a podium adorned with a cross and surrounded by dozens of supporters, Newton said he had been chosen by God to advocate for Connecticut's urban poor. "I've been the Moses of my people," Newton...

SYDNEY (AFP) - A leading Australian politician has resigned after it was revealed that he called an opponent's Malaysian wife a "mail order bride", pinched the bottom of one female journalist and propositioned another at an alcohol-fuelled party. New South Wales opposition Liberal Party leader John Brogden told a hastily-called news conference that he regretted his "inappropriate" behaviour and would quit the post that could have seen him become state premier. He denied being drunk at the party thrown for the media by the Australian Hotels Association three weeks ago but admitted drinking six beers to celebrate the recent resignation...

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A councilman convicted this week in a City Hall corruption case resigned Tuesday, fighting back tears as he described how he and his family have been devastated by the scandal. "It pains me greatly that some people will infer that I am somehow giving up or making an admission of some kind. Nothing could be further from the truth," Michael Zucchet said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Simply put, I am devastated. My wife and I have endured two years and two months of pure hell. What kept us going was the belief that justice would...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The inspector general appointed two years ago by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to watch out for governmental misconduct is resigning, while Attorney General Lisa Madigan has launched another probe of the administration. Zaldwaynaka Scott said Tuesday she would leave in July to become a partner at a private law firm. She said her decision to leave was unrelated to allegations of mismanagement and cronyism leveled against the administration that are being investigated by Madigan's office. Instead, she said she had accomplished what she set out to do. "No one's happy to see the (inspector general), but we've...

The chairman of the Davidson County Democratic Party has resigned because of child pornography allegations. Rodney Mullins stepped down Thursday, but has not been arrested. Police searched a computer at the party headquarters in Metro Center. Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Randy Button released a statement Friday about the investigation into Mullins. The statement read in part, "We have been informed that Rodney Mullins, former Chair of the Davidson County Democratic Party, has resigned. We are further informed that Mr. Mullins is being investigated concerning crimes involving child pornography. If true, this is very disturbing and regrettable news. We don’t have...

Pajama Party...Dan Rather officially resigns as anchor of CBS News. cartoon by FReeper IPWGOP (aka Linda Eddy) click here for really large version This is an email-able, copyright-ready graphic you can use in emails, on blogs, in flyers, on posters... anything that's noncommercial.

Embattled San Jose City Councilman Terry Gregory resigned this morning as part of a deal with prosecutors after he was charged with 11 misdemeanors related to his conduct in office. Shortly after the charges were announced, Gregory held a City Hall news conference announcing his resignation. Gregory said in a statement that he accepted ``total and full responsibility'' for his actions and was ``prepared to do what's right in facing the consequences of of any mistakes that I have made.'' He also said he is ``at peace'' with himself because he has ``always worked only for the betterment of our...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - One of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's picks for the state Board of Education has resigned a week before a Senate committee was scheduled to vote on her confirmation. Jeannine Martineau, who was named to the board in January 2004, said Wednesday that she reluctantly withdrew her name because she was offered another "phenomenal" position in education. She declined to say what her new job would be, but said it was a "once in a lifetime" opportunity that would conflict with her duties on the Board of Education. "I really had to debate about this choice," she said Wednesday....

Longtime San Diego (Calif.) Union-Tribune columnist Jim Goldsborough is quitting the paper, saying Publisher David C. Copley abruptly pulled a column scheduled to run Monday as "payback" for his criticism of President Bush. Goldsborough said the reason he was given after the fact is that the column, about why Jewish voters overwhelmingly cast their presidential ballots for John Kerry, was "offensive." "The publisher said it might be offensive. To whom? That's the question The column is not offensive to Jews. Maybe to Bush," Goldsborough said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "I don't think I'm 'liberal,' but I'm certainly not pro-Bush,...

U.S. Air Force Secretary James Roche has resigned, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday. Roche, a 23-year Navy veteran and former Northrop Grumman Corp. executive, told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in early October that he planned to retire at the end of the first term of the Bush administration, the statement said. "Jim Roche has led the Air Force during an important period in history," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said during a visit to Quito, Ecuador. "Combined with his distinguished career with the U.S. Navy, Secretary Roche has served our country capably and with honor." more...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - The state's finance director, a strong conservative voice in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration, has resigned after 11 months on the job. Donna Arduin could leave as soon as Friday, according to the governor's office. The cabinet position will be temporarily filled by Arduin's deputy, Michael Genest, until the government finds a replacement, officials said Wednesday. Schwarzenegger has called Arduin his resident "genius" and praised her "machine"-like work habits, Arduin, 41, who left her imprint on the governor's initial budget, is the first major political appointee to leave the administration, and her departure could show a shift in...

The entire board of directors and advisory board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota resigned Monday, citing frustrations with its fading authority to the national organization. Tensions between the Minnesota chapter and the national leadership were first noticed in a public dispute in 1996 over a hunting trip granted by the foundation, which fulfills wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. Since then, the local board feels its control has been evaporating on issues ranging from paying leaders; to donations for families of children who die before their wishes are granted; to limiting the length of board terms. "Philosophical differences the...