Obama counterterrorism adviser calls on Senate to confirm president’s nominee for TSA chief
By APSunday, January 3, 2010
Obama adviser says TSA nominee should be confirmed
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s top counterterrorism adviser says the White House’s nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration is well qualified and should be confirmed promptly.
White House aide John Brennan says there’s no good reason to delay Senate confirmation of Erroll Southers to head the agency that handles airport security.
Brennan says the former FBI agent has satisfied the great majority of senators about misstatements he made regarding a personal matter from two decades ago.
Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who’s blocking the nomination, says he wants assurances Southers will not advocate collective bargaining for TSA workers.
Brennan spoke on “Fox News Sunday.” DeMint spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
(This version CORRECTS to show DeMint is concerned about collective bargaining for TSA workers, not unionizing.)
Tags: Barack Obama, John brennan, National Security, North America, Terrorism, United States, Washington
