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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Bonilla withdraws ambassador nomination


Former Congressman Bonilla (photo)

Withdraws Ambassador Nomination
by Vickie Jean Summers

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Former Rep. Henry Bonilla withdrew his nomination to be ambassador to the Organization of American States, a group of primarily Latin American countries promoting democracy in the Western Hemisphere.

Bonilla, a San Antonio Republican who lost his seat to Democratic Rep. Ciro Rodriguez in a December special election, said Monday he will join a lobbying firm as a consultant. He's barred by ethics rules from lobbying Congress for one year after his departure from office.

He is among dozens of presidential appointees who haven't yet received a hearing from the Democrat-controlled Senate. "The process is pretty frozen, with no end in sight," Bonilla said.

The Organization of American States brings together nations of the Western Hemisphere to promote democracy and work on issues like poverty, human rights, drug abuse and trafficking

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