Verdery follows Hutchinson out of DHS

Verdery follows Hutchinson out of DHS    The turnover in the upper echelons of the Department of Homeland Security continued Thursday with the resignation of Stewart Verdery, assistant secretary for border and transportation security policy and planning.
   Verdery was part of the team responsible for overseeing cargo, aviation, port, rail, truck and immigration security and setting policy for Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration. Verdery will leave March 4.
   Speculation about Verdery’s future increased after his boss, BTS Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson announced his resignation Jan. 24.
   Verdery, a political appointee, spent 20 months in the job. He frequently chaired meetings of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC), which provides industry input. Prior to joining the administration he was a lobbyist for entertainment company Vivendi Universal. Verdery was general counsel to Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., from October 1998 until March 2002.
   Other DHS officials who have resigned since President Bush was re-elected in November include Secretary Tom Ridge, Deputy Secretary James Loy, Information Analysis and Information Protection Under Secretary Frank Libutti, and Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness Executive Director Suzanne Mencer.
   Loy is serving as acting secretary until Ridge’s replacement, Michael Chertoff, is confirmed by the Senate. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will vote Monday to forward his nomination to the full Senate.