John Bryson
has resigned as commerce secretary, telling President Obama in a letter
that the seizure he suffered recently “could be a distraction” to the
president’s focus on rebuilding the U.S. economy.
In a letter sent late Wednesday to Obama, Bryson said “This is a
critical period for our country’s economy. We must each day continue to
support the growth of Americ’as businesses, exports and manufacturing
and the vitally important jobs they create. I have concluded that the
seizure I suffered on June 9th could be a distraction from my
performance as Secretary and that our country would be better served by a
change in leadership at the Department.”
Bryson’s departure comes less than two weeks after he hit two vehicles near his California home,
an episode that initially raised concerns that he was under the
influence of alcohol or drugs, but was later determined to be tied to a
seizure. The incident caught the Commerce Department and White House
off-guard and Bryson announced he would take a medical leave two days
after the accidents.
The legal case against Bryson is still
unresolved. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s
office, which will decide whether to file charges, said Thursday that
police had not yet turned over the results of their investigation into
the crashes.
(Continues)
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