Russ Feingold's statement about General Hayden

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
On Reports of General Michael Hayden Being
Nominated as the Next Director of the CIA

May 6, 2006

I am concerned by reports that the President may nominate General Michael Hayden to be the Director of the CIA. General Hayden directed and subsequently defended the President's illegal wiretapping program. Neither he nor the rest of the administration informed the congressional intelligence committees about this program, as is required by law. As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will expect any nominee for this position to be committed to the rule of law and respectful of Congress's oversight responsibility. In addition, as we continue our global fight against Al Qaeda and its affiliates and seek to address the intelligence failures of Iraq, we need to make sure the next head of the CIA is committed to both strengthening our intelligence capabilities and providing policy makers with accurate and objective information.

http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/06/05/20060506.html

HE WAS NOMINATED BY GEORGE BUSH. All his life, bush has made wrong picks, errors and caused heartburn for all around him. This nomination is no exception. Hayden is a tool, otherwise he wouldn't have been nominated.

Intel Dems didn't exactly rally around the DSM inquiry - I hope they've now seen the light. Come on Russ, it needs to be done.

on Al Qaeda - if there is a war, that's the true thing to call it.

Best Senator we have right now.