The Hill News

USDA chief Tom Vilsack says he offered to resign from his post last month at the height of the controversy over comments made by rural development official Shirley Sherrod.

A video clip of Sherrod saying that she had denied full assistance to a white farmer because of his race went viral in mid-July, prompting Vilsack to fire her.

He says now that he had decided to be someone who "at least fails while daring greatly."

"I made the decision to place Shirley on administrative leave," he said. "I was concerned and upset. By the time I got out of the meeting, she had indicated a willingness to resign. Only later did we learn there was a whole lot more to the story."

A full version of the video shows that Sherrod had used the anecdote to make a point that Americans should not make decisions based on race. The man she referred to has since said that her actions saved his farm.

Sherrod has since declined an offer to rejoin the USDA as a director of advocacy and outreach.