Grijalva: No word on Interior Cabinet post

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TUCSON, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., reportedly a candidate to become U.S. Interior secretary, says he hasn't yet been contacted about the job.

A spokeswoman for Grijalva, named by several national publications as being on U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's short list for the Interior post, says Obama's transition team had yet to issue any invitations to the fierce environmentalist, The Arizona Republic reported Saturday.

"He said he hasn't been contacted," spokeswoman Natalie Luna said, adding, "I think he would give it really good thought."

Grijalva, 60, of Tucson, Ariz., is a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and is chairman of the national parks, forests and public lands subcommittee. He is a harsh critic of President George Bush's environmental policies, authoring a scathing report last month entitled "The Bush Administration's Assaults on Our National Parks, Forests and Public Lands," the newspaper said.

He was also Hispanic co-chairman for Obama's presidential campaign. If he is tapped by Obama, he could be the second Arizonan chosen: Gov. Janet Napolitano reportedly is the incoming administration's top choice for Homeland Security secretary, the Republic said.