Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced this evening that he will serve out the last five months of his term, closing the door on speculation that he would be appointed to a position in the Obama cabinet.

“I am flattered and humbled by the speculation that has included my name for a possible Cabinet secretary position, but I am firmly committed to remaining in L.A. and finishing my term,” Villaraigosa said in a statement.
We're guessing that “humbled” isn't quite the right word, but in any case it's all over now. A nation mourns.

Villaraigosa has been buzzed about for months, with particular focus on the Departments of Transportation and Commerce. The buzz peaked this week, after Ray LaHood announced he was stepping down as transportation secretary.
“I have said many times that I will be focused on my job as Mayor of Los Angeles until 11:59 and 59 seconds on June 30, 2013,” Villaraigosa said in his statement, after returning from a five-day trip to South Korea to watch the Special Olympics, which followed on the heels of two trips to Washington, D.C.

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