WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Susan Collins has released the following statement on this morning’s expected announcement that the President will nominate General Michael Hayden to be the new CIA Director. Senator Collins introduced Gen. Hayden before his nomination hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which she is a member.
"I worked closely with General Hayden during the negotiations on the Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform Act in 2004. I always found him to be straightforward and willing to share his candid professional judgments - even when they differed from those of Secretary Rumsfeld.
"Nevertheless, to send a signal of independence from the Pentagon, General Hayden may want to consider retiring from the Air Force. That would put to rest questions about whether an active duty military officer should lead the CIA at this time.
"While I will reserve final judgment on the nomination until after the hearings, I believe that General Hayden would bring impressive credentials and a wealth of experience to the CIA director's position."