DHSNapolitano leaving DHS post

DHS secretary Janet Napolitano announced earlier today that she would be leaving her post in early September to become president of the University of California system.

Her resignation is surprising, because the former governor of Arizona was seen as a potential successor to under-pressure Attorney General Eric Holder, if he were to leave his post.

In a statement released Friday morning, Napolitano said: “The opportunity to work with the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, who serve on the front lines of our nation’s efforts to protect our communities and families from harm, has been the highlight of my professional career.” The The Washington Post reports that Napolitano served as DHS chief during a contentious and event-filled period which saw her department dealing with issues such as immigration, border security, the Boston bombing, Superstorm Sandy, and deadly tornadoes in the Midwest.

In her statement, Napolitano added, “The Department has improved the safety of travelers; implemented smart steps that make our immigration system more fair and focused while deploying record resources to protect our nation’s borders; worked with states to build resiliency and make our nation’s emergency and disaster response capabilities more robust; and partnered with the private sector to improve our cybersecurity.”

President Obama thanked Napolitano for her more than four years of service, saying, “Janet’s portfolio has included some of the toughest challenges facing our country.”

“The American people are safer and more secure thanks to Janet’s leadership in protecting our homeland against terrorist attacks,” Obama said in a statement. “I’ve come to rely on Janet’s judgment and advice, but I’ve also come to value her friendship. And as she begins a new chapter in a remarkable career of public service, I wish her the best of luck.”

The sprawling University of California system, the largest in the nation, has ten campuses with 220,000 enrolled students, more than 170,000 faculty and staff, and an annual budget of $24 billion.

The New York Times notes that Napolitano does not have an extensive background in education, but the California university system saw her extensive management experience running a state and one of the largest federal government bureaucracies as assets.

“While some may consider her to be an unconventional choice, Secretary Napolitano is without doubt the right person at the right time to lead this incredible university,” the former film studio executive Sherry Lansing, who headed the search committee, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

The Post notes that the two leading candidates to replace Napolitano are two insiders who, unlike Napolitano, have good relationship with congressional oversight committees.

FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate, who had worked for two Republican governors in Florida, where he served as the director of the state’s emergency management.

TSA head John Pistole, has built good relations with Congress despite objections over recent proposed changes to screening procedures at airports.