Gerald R. Ford photo

Letter Accepting Withdrawal of the Nomination of Peter M. Flanigan To Be United States Ambassador to Spain

November 16, 1974

Dear Pete:

I have your letter of November 16 asking that I not resubmit your nomination as Ambassador to Spain. Although I fully understand the selfless reasons which led to your decision it is nevertheless with reluctance and deep regret that I accept your request. In doing so, I want to assure you once again of my confidence in you and my admiration for your abilities.

For the past five years as Assistant to the President and Director of the Council on International Economic Policy, you have served your nation with the highest distinction. You can be justly proud of the critical role you played in helping to shape our country's vital trade and economic policies under the most challenging circumstances. Your efforts won you the highest respect of your colleagues in government and the esteem of the international community for the substantial contributions you have made. You deserve the heartfelt thanks of your fellow citizens, and I want to take this opportunity to express my own lasting gratitude.

I am also deeply grateful for your generous offer of continuing assistance in the future, and you can be sure if the occasion arises we will not hesitate to take advantage of your talents. in the meantime, Betty joins me in extending to Brigid and you our very best wishes for every continuing happiness and success.

With my warmest personal regards.

Sincerely,

GERALD R. FORD

Note: Mr. Flanigan's letter, released with the President's letter, read as follows:

Dear Mr. President:

To serve as your Ambassador to Spain would be a great opportunity to work for the Nation as well as a great honor. For that reason I accepted with pleasure your offer of the post. And also for that reason it is with the deepest regret that I now ask that you not resubmit my name.

During the past weeks I have weighed, on the basis of all the information that could be developed, the prospects for my confirmation by year-end. It had been my belief that five years as Assistant to the President and Director of the Council on International Economic Policy provided a record which would command prompt Senate support. Unhappily the distortion of that record, despite the affirmative report given to the White House by Mr. Jaworski, throws that belief into serious question. Though the false charges and insinuations have already been fully answered, I must now conclude that the confirmation process would not be completed by the end of the year and the 93rd Congress. This long delay in the confirmation of your nominee would not be in the best interest of your relations with the Congress nor the Country's relations with Spain.

I will never forget the continued strong support given to me by you and Secretary Kissinger. My purpose in coming to Washington has been to serve the President--not to burden him. Given the current political climate, I can best do this by asking that you not resubmit my nomination.

I am deeply grateful for the honor you did me in offering me the Ambassadorship to Spain. I look back with satisfaction at the past five years of working with you in the Congress and in the White House. If in the future I can be of assistance to you in any way, you know that I would be very pleased to do so.

With warm personal regards, I remain,

Sincerely yours,

PETER M. FLANIGAN

[The President, The White House, Washington, D.C.]

Gerald R. Ford, Letter Accepting Withdrawal of the Nomination of Peter M. Flanigan To Be United States Ambassador to Spain Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/256882

Filed Under

Categories

Attributes

Simple Search of Our Archives