Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
SHARE:
Also on Philly.com
Stay Connected

Senate committee set to vote on Obama's CIA choice

FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2010 file photo, Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan briefs reporters at the White House in Washington. Brennan, now President Barack Obama´s nominee to be CIA director, withdrew from consideration for the job in 2008 amid criticism over the agency´s use of harsh interrogation techniques, like waterboarding, against terrorist suspects. This time, in 2013, he´s making it clear he strongly opposes such practices. Former and current U.S. intelligence officials say Brennan wasn´t so vocal a decade ago. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2010 file photo, Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan briefs reporters at the White House in Washington. Brennan, now President Barack Obama's nominee to be CIA director, withdrew from consideration for the job in 2008 amid criticism over the agency's use of harsh interrogation techniques, like waterboarding, against terrorist suspects. This time, in 2013, he's making it clear he strongly opposes such practices. Former and current U.S. intelligence officials say Brennan wasn't so vocal a decade ago. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
RICHARD LARDNER , The Associated Press
Posted: Tuesday, March 5, 2013, 8:57 AM

WASHINGTON - John Brennan's nomination to be director of the CIA is set for a key test before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on Brennan, who is currently serving as President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser in the White House.

Brennan's nomination to lead the spy agency has been held up by demands from Democrats and Republicans for more details about the classified Justice Department legal opinions that justify the use of unmanned spy planes to terrorist suspects overseas, including American citizens, and about the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya.

Obama nominated Brennan to be CIA director in early January. If the intelligence committee, which is controlled by the Democrats, approves the nomination, it would then move to the full Senate for consideration.

RICHARD LARDNER The Associated Press