White House Appointment of Housing Official to Spy Chief Post Stalls FISA Renewal Talks
The White House appointment of a housing finance official to lead the intelligence community has disrupted negotiations to renew a key surveillance authority ahead of a June 12 deadline. Lawmakers from both parties have called for White House involvement to address Democratic concerns over the nominee.
yahoo.comNegotiations to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have stalled following the appointment of a housing finance official to lead the intelligence community. A Republican member of the Senate intelligence committee said the executive branch needs to assist lawmakers in securing passage.
The senator stated that if Democratic opposition holds up the measure, White House involvement would be required to resolve the issue.
The appointment has heightened those concerns among Democrats, who point to the nominee's prior record of making criminal referrals related to mortgage fraud. A Democratic senator said the nominee had used a government position to target perceived political opponents.
The senator stated that the intelligence role should focus on serving the public and maintaining safety rather than partisan actions.
Some Democrats have indicated they will oppose renewal if the nominee remains in the post. Renewal efforts have previously faced resistance in the House from Republicans seeking a warrant requirement for accessing American citizens' data. Passage in the Senate would require at least seven Democratic votes to meet the 60-vote threshold.
National security analysts have warned that withholding support during ongoing hostilities with Iran could limit intelligence capabilities. A senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said oversight should not extend to cutting off intelligence flows that protect against attacks.
The White House stated the nominee is a strong choice and that linking the renewal to partisan disputes puts national security at risk. Several members of the House and Senate intelligence committees have not yet met or spoken with the nominee. A Republican representative on the House intelligence committee said the lack of contact is part of the problem given the representative's background in the intelligence community.
The chair of the House intelligence committee also confirmed no prior contact with the nominee as of Wednesday.
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