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ALBANY—Secretary
of State Randy A. Daniels has submitted his resignation effective Sept.
23 for the $120,800 a year post, presumably to seek the Republican
nomination for Governor in 2006.
Daniels,
a former CBS News correspondent, says that he’ll tour the state
during October and announce his plans for the future after the November
election. Daniels, a former Democrat, says that he’ll be working
for a real estate firm concentrating on international markets.
Daniels
had been appointed by Gov. George Pataki to the position in April, 2001
and was the highest-level minority appointee in the Pataki
administration. Pataki had also appointed to the State University of
New York Board of Trustees, a position Daniels plans to retain.
New
York native William Weld, former governor of Massachusetts, has
announced that he’ll be seeking the Republican nomination. The
only announced Democratic candidate if state attorney general Eliot
Spitzer.
In
his resignation letter to Pataki, Daniels said “I thank you for
the honor and privilege of serving in your cabinet and I am proud of
all that we have achieved together on behalf of the people of New York.
The Department of State has conducted a comprehensive security guard
audit to insure all of New York's licensed security guards are law
abiding and qualified. From providing equipment and training to local
first responders to deal with the consequences of weapons of mass
destruction, to chairing the E911 Task Force and securing the
completion of pinpoint GPS cellphone location capability in over half
of our counties, we have made New York a safer place.
“The Department has also created the world's first
self-extinguishing cigarette standard, and made our waterways and our
air cleaner through the protection of and investment in our
environmental resources”, Daniels continued. “In these
difficult times there will be many new challenges facing New York. With
courage, faith and determination we can and will overcome. At your
request, I will continue to oversee New York State's humanitarian
relief effort for the victims of Hurricane Katrina on a voluntary
basis. 9-15-05
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