Senators not surprised by Goss resignation

AUGUSTA – Maine’s two senators were not surprised at CIA Director Porter Goss’ resignation Friday. Both say there have been indications of problems in the intelligence community for months.

“I don’t think he has been the strongest leader that we needed at a very difficult time,” Sen. Susan Collins said Saturday. “I think that Porter made some improvements and I wish him well, but I do think it is time for new leadership.”

Collins, chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Operations Committee, was instrumental in the rewriting of national security policy that led to the director of the CIA losing part of his power. For example, President Bush’s daily intelligence briefings now are conducted by John Negroponte, the director of national intelligence. Goss was a candidate for that post, Negroponte was named to the job.

Collins said Goss was charged with rebuilding the agency’s morale and improving the agency’s ability to garner intelligence.

But Goss also ruffled political feathers during his 18-month tenure by making it a priority to crack down on leaks to the news media. To this end, he ordered lie detector tests and fired one longtime agent suspected of leaking information to a reporter.

“In this restructuring process of the intelligence community, there have been difficulties,” Sen. Olympia Snowe said Saturday. “It’s going to require that we do have a strong leader for the agency.” Snowe is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which oversees the CIA and the other 16 intelligence agencies. She said the panel did not know in advance of Goss’ resignation. She said the first she heard of his decision was from media reports.

“We will have to find out exactly what happened,” she said.

What the committee finds out may never become public. Snowe said no member of the committee can discuss publicly what goes on during the closed meetings with intelligence officials.

“I really can’t disclose what was said in committee meetings,” she said when asked whether Goss complained about the CIA director’s lesser role in the new national security process.

“But as you have seen from media accounts, there have been personnel changes and so on that have happened,” she said.

Goss did not offer an explanation when he resigned, but he defended his tenure in a statement.

“When I came to the CIA in September of 2004, I wanted to accomplish some very specific things, and we have made great strides on all fronts,” he said.

Collins believes Goss was forced out of the job. She said there have been media reports of clashes with Negroponte over several issues ranging from management of the agency to access to the president.

Several national news organizations are reporting Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, principal deputy director of national intelligence, is the president’s likely selection to replace Goss. Both senators said Hayden would be a strong candidate.

“I got to know General Hayden well during the writing of the intelligence reform bill,” Collins said. “I think very highly of him. He has the respect of Congress and the rank-and-file members of the intelligence community.”

But she said there are other candidates who could do the job as well, including Frances Townsend, Bush’s homeland security adviser; David Shedd, Negroponte’s chief of staff; and Mary Graham, Negroponte’s deputy for intelligence collection.

“General Hayden is much respected and held in high regard,” Snowe said. “He is a very competent individual.”

Snowe said he is likely to face questions during confirmation hearings about his earlier role as director of the National Security Agency. While in that post, he was a principal architect of the administration’s warrantless surveillance program and has been defending it since it came to light last year.