WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 11: House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) questions witnesses about the purchase of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America December 11, 2009 in Washington, DC. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement Director Robert Khuzami revealed that the SEC is investigating Bank of America’s failure to disclose to shareholders Merrill Lynch’s mounting losses in the fourth quarter of 2008. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Edolphus Towns
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/2009 Getty Images
Congressman Edolphus Towns (D) from New York’s tenth district disclosed his decision Sunday night to drop out of the race for the re-drawn Eighth Congressional seat, according to the Daily News. Towns would have sparred with two challengers this cycle, assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene) and City Councilman Charles Barron. First elected in 1982, 77-year-old Towns has served fifteen terms and is one of the longest-tenured members of Congress, and former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee. You know, it’s a pretty good day to not be in charge of that committee.
