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FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2001

In what one Republican called a "witch hunt," Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee voted to reject the nomination of Mary Sheila Gall, President Bush's pick to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The 12-11 vote underscored the contention against Gall, whose 10-year record as commissioner at the CPSC is abysmal, critics said. Her refusal is the first defeat Bush has seen for one of his political appointees.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has said he will not bring Gall's nomination to the full floor if she was rejected in committee.

Although not a member of the Commerce Commitee, freshman Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) played a role in defeating Gall. Clinton is a close friend of Ann Brown, appointed by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, to run the CPSC.

Get the Story:
Bush's CPSC Choice Is Rejected (The Washington Post 8/3)
Hillary Clinton helps lead Senate's first defeat of Bush nominee (AP 8/2)

Relevant Links:
Consumer Product Safety Commission - http://www.cpsc.gov
Mary Sheila Gall, CPSC -http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/bios/gall.html

Related Stories:
Consumer nominee expected to fail (8/1)
Consumer nominee could be stalled (7/31)
Bush's consumer nominee defends record (7/26)
Bush's consumer nominee assailed (7/25)
Bush's consumer nominee opposed (7/24)