Sullivan resigns as ATF acting director

[News Shooter]

January 13, 2009


BOSTON—U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan has officially resigned from his job as acting director of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Sullivan, a Republican, has been doing both jobs since August 2006. His resignation from the ATF is effective Jan. 20, the day of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

Sullivan formally announced his resignation to the ATF staff at a luncheon in Washington on Monday. His spokeswoman said Sullivan and other division heads in the Department of Justice were asked to resign to allow Obama to name his own appointees.

Sullivan could soon lose his job as U.S. attorney, which also is a position appointed by the president.

The former state legislator and district attorney became U.S. attorney in 2001.
© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[kevin9]

Good riddance. We'll see though if the we don't know is worse than the we do

 

[Trupo]

...We'll see though if the we don't know is worse than the we do

Oh, most assuradly

 

[vellnueve]

Hard to be worse than Sullivan.

 

[clinotus]

I hope this doesnt wind up being an out of the frying pan into the fire situation.

 

[terraformer]

I hope this doesnt wind up being an out of the frying pan into the fire situation.

What will be interesting is to see who Obama appoints here. Will it be someone like Sullivan who is a micromanager and anal retentive type (aka; incompetent fool), an ideologue, or someone with some practical experience who can run the organization and focus on the real issues (aka; middle of the road admin pick).

I would be somewhat surprised we get an incompetent fool (frankly, none of O's picks have been the least bit incompetent) so that leaves us with ideologue or middle of the road admin looking to do the job congress wants, not the job anti's want. I would bet on a middle of the road competent ATF administrator, and not an ideologue.

 

[rwl1955]

Sullivan

He was gone anyways. New administration.

 

[vellnueve]

I also think that the same people who held up Sullivan would hold up an extreme idealogue, so Obama will probably take the safe bet here.

 

[Trupo]

...I would be somewhat surprised we get an incompetent fool (frankly, none of O's picks have been the least bit incompetent)...

Surely you jest...Leon Panetta for director of the CIA?!?!?!

 

[doobie]

Hard to be worse than Sullivan.

Could bring back a shoelace being a component of making a machine gun...

 

[clinotus]

Could bring back a shoelace being a component of making a machine gun...

I can see the new guidelines for ATF inspectors:

Laces = Felon in the making.
Velcro = Responsible citizen.

 

[terraformer]

Surely you jest...Leon Panetta for director of the CIA?!?!?!

Panetta is not incompetent by any means. He is likely not the right guy for the job (there is a long history of outsiders trying to change the CIA and failing, this will become another chapter I bet) but he is not incompetent. I will grant you he is also one of the worst picks Obama has made thus far, but that is measured by potential effectiveness at shepherding Obama's agenda, not a judgment about the agenda itself.

 

[Trupo]

Panetta is not incompetent by any means.

Regarding the position as Director of the CIA he will prove to be most incompetent, he has NO intelligence experience whatsoever, just one of Clinton's old hacks.

I didn't even mention Hillary Clinton! Those who really know why Obama appointed her, realize as far as Obama's concerned she's the best for the job, simply because this will cripple her running against him in 2012. Other than that, she's another empty suit he's appointed.

 

[n1zfg]

Hard to be worse than Sullivan.

I'm guessing a socialist ideologue that'll make Janet Reno look like a sweetheart.