Ex-USDA official Sherrod not returning to work

WASHINGTON - Ousted Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod said yesterday that she will not return to the department in the new role.

"I need to take a break from some of all I've had to deal with in the last few weeks," Sherrod said at a hastily arranged news conference at USDA headquarters. She said she hopes to maintain "some kind of relationship" with the department.

Sherrod met with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who first hinted last week that they would soon meet. "I think I can be helpful to him if I just take a little break and can be more helpful in the future," she said.

The job offers included deputy director, Office of Advocacy and Outreach, which would have been based in Washington, and the other was a senior position in the USDA's Georgia office.

She turned both down.

Sherrod looked tired at a joint news conference with Vilsack, who she said had pressed her hard to return to the agency.

"I only lasted 11 months but I did enjoy the work and would like to see that work continue," Sherrod said of her position with the government, which ended abruptly in July when she said she got a call from USDA Undersecretary Cheryl Cook.

Sherrod said Cook told her that the White House wanted her to quit, and Cook asked Sherrod to e-mail a letter of resignation.

Vilsack and President Barack Obama apologized to Sherrod and the secretary also apologized publicly. "I could have done and should have done a better job," Vilsack said.