AP Exclusive: White House had many concerns, but didn’t stop forced ouster of USDA official

AP Exclusive: USDA racial flap reconstructed

WASHINGTON — As a racial firestorm erupted last month, the White House was concerned about the forced ouster of a black Agriculture Department employee. But no one stopped Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack from pressuring Shirley Sherrod (sha-RAWD’) to resign over remarks she made in an edited videotape.

Interviews by The Associated Press with administration officials reveal a greater level of White House involvement than officials initially let on.

But a White House official says no one asked the Agriculture Department to hold off in seeking Sherrod’s resignation until a full tape of her statements could be found. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss what happened between Sherrod’s resignation and the Agriculture Department’s decision to offer her a new job.