|
|
Senate clears Brennan as CIA chief
March 7, 2013
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., leaves the floor of the Senate after his filibuster of the nomination of John Brennan to be CIA director on Capitol Hill in Washington, early Thursday, March 7, 2013. Senate Democrats pushed Wednesday for speedy confirmation of John Brennan's nomination to be CIA director but ran into a snag after Paul began a lengthy speech over the legality of potential drone strikes on U.S. soil. But Paul stalled the chamber to start what he called a filibuster of Brennan's nomination. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
WASHINGTON (AP) — John Brennan has won Senate confirmation to head the CIA after a late struggle that had more to do with presidential power to order drone strikes than with the nominee's credentials to lead the spy agency.
The vote Thursday was 63-34. Brennan will replace Mike Morrell, the acting CIA director since November.
The vote came after the Obama administration bowed to demands from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and specified limits on the president's authority to order drone strikes against American citizens in the United States.
Paul declared he was satisfied with the administration's statement, which said the president does not have the authority to use a drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil.
(Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
