Chavez Abandons Labor Nomination

Linda Chavez, President-elect Bush's pick to be labor secretary announced Tuesday that she had abandoned her bid for the Cabinet post amid controversy that she housed an illegal immigrant.

Chavez said at a news conference Tuesday that she was becoming a distraction to Bush, and had asked him to withdraw her name for the Cabinet post.

Chavez had been facing criticism for providing room, board and money to an illegal Guatemalan immigrant in the early 1990s.

On Sunday, Senate Democratic leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) said that the alle-gations posed a serious concern, since Chavez may have violated labor laws that she would have had to enforce as labor secretary.

havez had also been under criticism from labor groups and some Democratic officials for opposing affirmative action and for opposing a possible increase in the minimum wage.

Bush on Monday had expressed confidence in Chavez. However, the Associated Press said an internal review by the Bush team raised questions about her credibility in the matter.

Other possible Republican candidates for labor secretary cited by CNN include former Rep. James Talent of Missouri, Rep. Jennifer Dunn of Washington and Eloise Anderson, the former chief of the California Welfare Department under Republican Gov. Pete Wilson.