NYT:

Rather than appointing professionals with relevant experience, the Bush administration has promoted a culture of cronyism by tapping political allies and close friends for key positions,” Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said in a written statement issued after Mr. Flanigan announced his withdrawal.
“Like Mike Brown at FEMA, Timothy Flanigan has strong credentials as a faithful Republican Party stalwart,” he said. “But just as Mr. Brown did not have the qualifications to lead our nation’s primary disaster response agency, there were serious doubts about Mr. Flanigan’s qualifications to serve as the nation’s second-highest ranking law enforcement officer.”