Hutchinson Resigns DHS Post; Michael Jackson Nominated as Deputy Secretary

Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson announced he would resign, effective March 1.

Hutchinson was reportedly considering running for governor of Arkansas, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Meanwhile President Bush nominated Michael Jackson to be the second in command at DHS, the Post reported.

Jackson, a deputy secretary at the Department of Transportation from 2001 to 2003, would replace Admiral James Loy, deputy secretary to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

Jackson held several jobs in the first Bush administration and was chief of staff to then-Department of Transportation Secretary Andrew Card Jr. in 1992 and 1993. From 1993 to 1997, Jackson was a senior vice president at American Trucking Associations.

Jackson then went to Lockheed Martin, where he worked with now-DOT Secretary Norman Mineta until Mineta returned to government.

If confirmed, Jackson would serve under the nominee to be the new DHS Secretary, Michael Chertoff. Ridge is leaving the department Feb. 1, while Loy and Hutchinson are staying until March 1.

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