Thursday, February 19, 2009

Noriega Offered Assistant Secretary Post; Declines

Former state representative and senatorial candidate Rick Noriega has revealed in a newsletter to supporters that he was recently offered a position in the Obama Administration but decided not to accept the offer.

“Last week I was contacted and asked if I would consider a post as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs) with the Secretary of the Air Force. I declined the position. I remain open to a position in President Obama's administration, one that is aligned with my core competencies. I am most honored to have been called. It is hard to consider leaving my family again, and I am not yet sure what the final outcome will be.”

Rick is right. Rick is a ground pounder, not a flyboy. Rick is used to dealing with soldiers whose hands are calloused, not manicured. I agree with this and call on the Obama Administration to take note of the talents that this man offers our nation’s military.

In another statement, Noriega announced that he has accepted the position of Vice President of Community Relations at Neighborhood Centers, Inc., an organization that once helped his own family through hard times, and “includes centers such as Ripley House, Head Start programs, senior programs, charter schools and more. It is a $ 200 million operation, caring for Houston's seniors, youngsters and needy, giving folks a hand up, not a hand out.”

As I have written in other posts on this blog, public service is what this entire family is about. It’s really too bad that more Texans didn’t agree with Democrats that Rick Noriega would have made a superb US Senator, much better than the one we have saddled ourselves with for another six years, a real shame – doubly – because his former opponent continues to vote against the interests of his own state, and takes campaign contributions from crooks and drug money launderers.

But our loss is Neighborhood Centers, Inc.’s gain.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Given Noriega's talents, its a shame that's the best post President Obama's team could come up with for him.