With less than eight months remaining until the presidential election, an unforeseen resignation has occurred within President Joe Biden’s cabinet. On Monday, Marcia Fudge, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, announced her unexpected resignation. She will be stepping down later this month and returning to her home state of Ohio.
“It’s time to go home,’’ Fudge said, according to USA Today.
“I do believe strongly that I have done just about everything I could do at HUD for this administration as we go into this crazy, silly season of an election,” she said.
“There just comes a time, and you know when that time is,” she said.
BREAKING: Biden's cabinet secretary Marcia Fudge, steps down as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary, citing the upcoming "crazy, silly" election as her reason for leaving the Biden admin. pic.twitter.com/0sWeYDFb2f
— The General (@GeneralMCNews) March 11, 2024
This marks the conclusion of the public service journey, as stated by the ex-Democratic congressman.
“Don’t look for me to ever be on another ballot or another appointee or anything like that,’’ she said. “I really do look forward to being a private citizen.”
Politico reported her resignation “a surprising departure.”
Politico recently reported that just a few days prior, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients stated that the entire Cabinet consists of individuals who are dedicated to supporting the president.
“So, yes, we have the team in place,” he said.
Olivia Dalton, a representative from the White House, announced that President Biden intends to nominate a successor. Due to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su facing challenges in getting confirmed, Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman will step in as the acting secretary. Marty Walsh, the former Labor Secretary, left the Cabinet last year. Additionally, Eric Lander resigned from his position as the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in 2022. In 2021, CNN reported that Fudge was found to have violated the Hatch Act. At a news briefing in March, she was questioned about the Democrats’ chances in the 2022 Senate race in Ohio.
“I think we have a good shot at it. I know people have written off Ohio. I haven’t written off Ohio. I believe we can win the Senate race,” she said, according to a White House transcript.
The Office of Special Counsel has determined that a breach of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan activities while performing their official responsibilities, has occurred.