Bowing to political pressure, actor/director Rob Reiner resigned on Wednesday as chair of the commission he established to administer funds from his 1998 cigarette tax initiative.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger named Hector Ramirez, vice president and chief operating officer of Los Angeles-based Para Los Ni & #324;os, to succeed Reiner. Para Los Ni & #324;os is a non-profit serving poor children and their families in the L.A. area.

Ramirez, 38, is a Democrat who lives in La Mirada. His appointment does not need Senate confirmation, and the post pays $100 per meeting day.

Reiner resigned from the California Children and Families Commission also known as First 5 California after weeks of controversy surrounding revelations that $23 million in cigarette tax funds that was supposed to go to promote children’s health may instead have gone to promote Reiner’s universal preschool initiative now on the June ballot. A state legislative auditor is looking into the allegations.

Reiner was appointed to chair the commission by Gov. Gray Davis in early 1999 after his cigarette tax initiative won voter approval. Earlier this year, Reiner took a temporary leave from his post as chair to campaign for his preschool initiative.

“We agreed that we cannot let personal political attacks get in the way of doing the very best we can for California’s children,” Reiner said in his letter of resignation to Gov. Schwarzengger. “For seven years, I have volunteered as the chairperson of First 5 California and I am proud of all that we have accomplished I applaud your appointment of Hector Ramirez as First 5’s new chairperson and I remain as committed today as I have ever been to improve the welfare of California’s children.”