Flynn
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A Republican appointee to the National Labor Relations Board has resigned after a deluge of criticism by Democrats.
Board Member Terence Flynn, who had been receiving pressure to resign for several weeks, submitted his resignation Saturday to President Barack Obama and NLRB Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce. The resignation is effective July 24, 2012.
But in the interim, he has recused himself from all of the board's business. He also requested that his name be withdrawn for nomination to the NLRB.
Flynn was sworn in as a Board Member on Jan. 9. He joined the Board in 2003 as Chief Counsel to Member Peter Schaumber, and had previously been in private practice. Pearce informed staff of Flynn's resignation the same day. He intends to issue a statement after communicating with the staff on Tuesday.
The resignation referenced Flynn's years of government service. "After eight years of government service, I have determined that it is time to move on to other opportunities," he wrote. "Accordingly, I respectfully tender my resignation, effective July 24, 2012. Further, effective today, I recuse myself from all NLRB activities. Finally, I request that my nomination be withdrawn."
Congressional Democrats had been calling for Flynn's resignation after he allegedly furnished information about NLRB business to outside sources. The NLRB Inspector General determined in March that Flynn violated some Executive Branch ethical standards by doing so.