Clinton Withdraws Nominee For Top Veterans Post

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Oct. 24) - President Bill Clinton withdrew his nomination of Hershel Gober for secretary of Veterans Affairs Friday after it became bogged down in committee, in part because of a sexual-harassment allegation.

Clinton released a letter late Friday "regretfully" accepting Gober's decision to give up his confirmation fight.

A longtime Clinton friend from Arkansas, Gober served as then-Gov. Clinton's top veterans adviser. He was also one of Clinton's top defenders when the controversy over the steps Clinton took to avoid the Vietnam draft became an issue in the 1992 Democratic primary campaign.

Administration sources say one reason for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee's refusal to proceed with the nomination was a civil harassment suit filed against Gober by a woman.

Though the Department of Veterans Affairs looked into the complaint and found it to be without merit, committee chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said it would be necessary for the panel to conduct a public hearing into the allegation.

Gober will stay on as acting secretary until a replacement is confirmed, and then will resume his previous duties as deputy secretary, the post he has held throughout the Clinton Administration.

CNN's John King contributed to this report.

In Other News:

Friday Oct. 24, 1997

• Clinton Defends 'Constructive Engagement' Of China
• JFK Jr. In Cuba On Business
• Memo Indicates Oval Office Fund-Raising Call
• Clinton Withdraws Nominee For Top Veterans Post
• Administration Will Help Revive Some Vetoed Projects
• Capitol Hill Looks Ahead To Budget Surpluses
• Hillary Clinton And Oprah To Gab About Turning Fifty

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