Barry Myers, the former CEO of AccuWeather, has asked President Trump to withdraw his nomination to the top post at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, citing health reasons.
Mr. Myers said he has undergone surgery for cancer and had chemotherapy, so he would be unable to serve as NOAA administrator and undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
Mr. Myers, who sent a letter requesting his withdrawal to White House staff this week, complained in a statement that Democrats contested his nomination since 2017 “for no reason other than my support for the administration.”
He also said his family has been “unmercifully attacked by false news stories.”
“None of this has discouraged me from serving this administration,” Mr. Myers said in the statement first obtained by The Washington Times. “In fact, all of these obstacles only increased my resolve to be confirmed.
“I owe so much to America, having started out as a poor kid in Philadelphia and endured tragic family circumstances,” he said. “But by working hard, I was able to live out the American dream. Unfortunately, my medical issues have made that service to the nation impractical at this time.”
Mr. Myers’ nomination had advanced at the committee level but hadn’t received a floor vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The nominee’s statement faulted Democrats for their opposition and alluded to unflattering news stories.
Those articles focused on potential conflicts of interest Mr. Myers would have after departing AccuWeather, though the nominee pledged to sell his interests in AccuWeather and permanently recuse himself from any matters related to the company.
AccuWeather also faced claims of sexual harassment at the company during his tenure as CEO, though not against Mr. Myers himself. The company agreed to pay $290,000 as part of a settlement.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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