Hastert Indicates He'll Oppose Hayden CIA Appointment Steve Marshall Reporting
KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO
WASHINGTON, DC (KNX) -- Opposition within President Bush's own party to his new nominee to head the CIA, General Michael Hayden, may start at the top.
Time Magazine is reporting on its website that House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) has indicated that he may oppose Hayden's appointment.
"The Speaker believes they should not have a military person leading the CIA, a civilian agency," Ron Bonjean, Hastert's communications director, told TIME. Bonjean was confirming the tone of comments Hastert made at an appearance in Aurora, Ill., in which Hastert praised outgoing director Porter Goss and said moving Hayden to the CIA smacked of a "power grab" by Department of Intelligence chief John Negroponte, adding that Negroponte had visited Hastert's office last week and not noted any problems with Goss.
Hastert is said to be one of Goss' closest friends on Capitol Hill.
Hastert stated further that he didn't know Hayden and that the general had never paid him a visit.
Opposition from the House Speaker has little official weight, since Hayden's confirmation will rest with the Senate. However, his power and influence over other Republicans could set a tone that would make Hayden's confirmation tough sledding.
The Senate hearings will most likely morph into hearings on the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretaps on American citizens, which has been a hot-button issue within the Bush Administration. Hayden is said to be the architect of the eavesdropping policy, developing the plan when he was head of the NSA.
"We expect quite a bit of questioning about this issue, but I believe that General Hayden will be very, very well equipped and very well prepared to answer any questions that might arise," Negroponte told told the White House press corps.