By Greg McDonald, CQ Staff

Democrat Alcee L. Hastings of Florida abruptly resigned Tuesday from the House Intelligence Committee, citing increased activities as chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and his work on the Rules Committee.

“Now, I will devote even more time to my continued work for the people of my congressional district by ratcheting up my work as chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, as a senior member of the House Rules Committee and as co-chairman of Florida’s congressional delegation,” Hastings said in a statement.

But Hastings held open the possibility that he might return to the panel in the 111th Congress because he resigned before the current session of Congress ended. Intelligence members can serve only 10 years total, or five complete terms; Hastings has served on the panel since 1999.

His resignation took House Democratic leaders by surprise. Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., said he learned about it from reporters.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., immediately asked Hastings to stay on the panel at least through the completion of the intelligence authorization (HR 2082) to be a strong voice in the conference committee. He agreed to do so and to work for passage of the final bill when it reaches the floor.

Hastings denied that his decision to resign was related to being passed over for the chairmanship of the Intelligence Committee in favor of Silvestre Reyes , D-Texas. Pelosi handpicked Reyes in January to lead the panel.

Aides said Hastings simply realized that he does not have enough time to attend to all his legislative responsibilities and his duties at the Helsinki Commission, which monitors compliance with commitments of members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

“He’s chosen to put a greater emphasis on other parts of his legislative portfolio,” said spokesman David Goldenberg.

It’s no secret, though, that Hastings was upset earlier this year over the lost chairmanship. In an interview with Congressional Quarterly in April, he expressed some anger at “Democrats in high places” who made an issue, during his bid for the chairmanship, of the fact that he had been impeached and removed from office as a federal judge in 1989 on corruption and perjury charges.

Hastings said it didn’t matter that he had been found innocent of the charges in a criminal trial. Some Democrats, he said, told him the impeachment alone would be an embarrassment after the party made ethics a centerpiece of its 2006 election efforts.

Alan K. Ota, Edward Epstein and Jeff Stein contributed to this story.