President Obama has nominated FBI deputy director John Pistole to lead the Transportation Security Administration. Pistole is the third nominee for the post, after retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Harding withdrew his nomination over questions regarding his work as a defense contractor.
The first nominee, a homeland security official in the Los Angeles International Airport’s police department, Errol Southers, withdrew over questions concerning his testimony regarding allegations he may have misused a law enforcement database for personal reasons about 20 years ago.
The question of collective bargaining for screeners remains a central concern, as Errols had a hold placed on his nomination over concerns he would support bargaining.
Previously, Pistole served in the FBI’s counter terrorism division, and has served deputy director since 2004, and would be charged with overseeing TSA’s efforts to secure aviation networks, railroads, ports, mass transit, and the Federal Air Marshal Service.
The ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she supported the nomination of a career law enforcement official for the post, but that she was withholding final judgment pending the full vetting process.
Committee chair Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., meanwhile, described his initial reaction to the nomination as "extremely positive."