Embattled U.S. election-panel nominee withdraws

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An embattled Republican nominee to the commission overseeing U.S. election campaigns withdrew on Friday, easing a political stalemate that has paralyzed the body in a presidential election year.

Hans von Spakovsky said in a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush that he was withdrawing after a 2 1/2-year battle in which Democratic opposition to the nomination blocked efforts to fill the six-member Federal Election Commission and left it with only two members, short of a ruling majority.

Critics accused von Spakovsky of working against voting rights in a previous Justice Department post and in Republican political positions. They questioned whether he would inject politics into the commission, a bipartisan group intended to be independent.

"The agency that is tasked with policing our campaign finance system needs to be operational during a presidential election year. The opposition to my nomination, however unfair, is preventing that from happening," von Spakovsky said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said von Spakovsky's withdrawal could break the logjam. "He was not qualified to hold any position of trust in our government ... With Mr. von Spakovsky now removed, I anticipate we will be able to swiftly put a functioning FEC in place," he said.

The White House said Bush was disappointed "that partisan politics will prevent a good man from continuing to serve our country," but that it would work to swiftly choose a new nominee.

(Reporting by Randall Mikkelsen; editing by Mohammad Zargham)