WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Outgoing U.S. Civil Rights Commission head Mary Frances Berry reportedly will relinquish her post quietly, staving off a confrontation with the White House.
The Washington Times reported Tuesday, citing published reports, Berry said she would leave office quietly now that the White House has named former Assistant Secretary of Education Gerald Reynolds to replace her as head of the 47-year federal agency.
Reynolds was named to the post Monday.
Berry, however, had argued for some months that her term -- as well as that of commission Vice Chairman Cruz Reynoso -- did not expire until Jan. 21 instead of Sunday, as the White House said, leading many to expect she would fight her ouster from the eight-member panel.
That fight will not likely now occur.
"The White House has clipped her wings," one commission staffer said. "She has been stripped of her ability to travel and will be asked to turn over her official badge. She will be asked for her keys to the building."
The White House named Kenneth Marcus, Reynolds' successor as head of the Education Department's civil rights office, as commission staff director, replacing Berry loyalist Les Jin, who was given the job in 2000.
