Blow to Bush as Chavez opts to walk

WASHINGTON - President-elect George W. Bush, suffering the first setback in his transition to the White House, had warm words for cabinet pick Linda Chavez yesterday, even as she bitterly withdrew from the nomination.

Chavez withdrew her name as nominee to head the Labour Department after coming under fire in recent days for giving housing and money to an illegal alien in the early 1990s.

"Linda is a good person, with a great deal of compassion for people from all walks of life," Bush said. "Her upbringing and her life's work prepared her well for the issues facing the Labour Department."

"I am disappointed that Linda Chavez will not become our nation's next Secretary of Labour." Chavez, Bush's adviser on immigration issues during his campaign, had come under fire in recent days for giving housing and money to an illegal alien in the early 1990s.

Bush learned of Chavez's decision after she met his chief of staff, Andrew Card, Vice-President-elect Dick Cheney, and Fred Fielding, who is heading the vetting process for Bush nominees.

Chavez withdrew her bid complaining that "search and destroy" tactics had driven her out. She insisted she had not come under pressure from Bush officials.

But in an interview with CNN, she acknowledged that Bush officials had not been overly supportive.

"I felt they were concerned this was a distraction," she said. "It wasn't that anybody told me that. "But I've also been around this town long enough to know that if no one is calling you and saying, 'Hang in there,' that that is not a great signal either."

Earlier, she said: "I've not led a perfect life, I'm not Mother Teresa. However, I have tried to do right by people who are in need."

She said the turmoil over her nomination sent a bad signal.

"So long as the game in Washington is a game of search-and-destroy, I think we will have very few people who are willing to do what I did, which was to put myself through this in order to serve."

Chavez's nomination ran into trouble on Sunday when it was revealed that an illegal alien from Guatemala had lived in her house and performed chores for several years.

Democratic senators and labour groups have criticised Chavez over the relationship with the Guatemalan woman, Marta Mercado, saying it appeared to exploit the woman and violate laws against harbouring and hiring an illegal immigrant.

A Republican source close to the situation said a report in the Wall Street Journal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was looking into a conversation Chavez had had with a former neighbour about the case had influenced her decision.

The newspaper said there was concern among investigators that the conversation might have been an attempt by Chavez to influence how the neighbour responded to questions by FBI agents doing a routine background check on the nominee.

Spokesmen for Bush have said Chavez was acting out of compassion when she let Mercado live in her home.

They acknowledge the woman performed chores around the house and received what they called spending money from Chavez.

Opposition has also been building to Bush's nomination of former Senator John Ashcroft of Missouri as Attorney-General. He was opposed by a number of civil rights, abortion rights and liberal groups and their allies in Congress.

Bush is holding personnel meetings in Washington and may announce appointments to unfilled positions in his Administration.

He has yet to fill the posts of Trade Representative, Central Intelligence Agency director and United Nations Ambassador.

Bush will make the final move to Washington next week for his inauguration.

- REUTERS

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