Ashcroft resigns

[GonzoStyle]

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Colin Powell and three other Cabinet members submitted their resignations, a senior administration official said Monday, as the shake-up of President Bush's second-term team escalated.

Besides Powell, who had argued Bush's case for ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before a skeptical U.N. Security Council in February 2003, others whose resignations were confirmed Monday included Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (news - web sites).


The departures of Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans had been announced last week. The resignations announced Monday bring to six — out of 15 — the number of Cabinet members to decide so far to leave.


Bush already has chosen White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to succeed Ashcroft.


Powell, who long has been rumored planning only a single term with Bush, told his aides that he intends to leave once Bush settles on a successor, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.


The White House was preparing an announcement to confirm Powell's resignation. According to one official, Powell expects that his departure date will be sometime in January. It was not immediately clear whether he would leave before Bush's second inauguration, on Jan 20.


Most of the speculation on a successor has centered on U.N. Ambassador John Danforth, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Missouri, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites).


Powell expects that his departure date will be sometime in January, the officials said. It was not immediately clear whether he would leave before Bush's second inauguration, on Jan 20.


Most of the speculation on his successor has centered on U.N. Ambassador John Danforth, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Missouri, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.