Tom Daschle, the much lauded pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced this afternoon that he'll be withdrawing his nomination in light of tax irregularities that have cropped up during the review.

"I will not be the architect of America's health care reform, but I remain one of its most fervent supporters," Daschle said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.

News emerged last week that Daschle owed $140,000 in back taxes on a luxury car and driver provided in 2005 by an investment firm he worked with.

His withdrawal comes on the heels of this morning's news that President Barack Obama's nominee for Chief Performance Officer, Nancy Killefer, also has tax no-no's in her past, and will be withdrawing from consideration for the post.

Daschle had received praise from many in the biomedical community for his commitment to health care policy and his legislative experience.


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