NYT: Next House Intelligence Chairman, Silvestre Reyes, Opposed War: Appointment sends strong signal

[DeepModem Mom]

Next Chairman for Intelligence Opposed War
By MARK MAZZETTI and JEFF ZELENY
Published: December 2, 2006


(Christ Chavez for The New York Times)
Representative Silvestre Reyes of Texas has kept a low profile.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 — Representative Nancy Pelosi, the incoming House speaker, sent a strong new signal on Friday that Democrats intend to confront the White House by naming a Texas congressman who opposed the war in Iraq as the next chairman of the House intelligence committee.

This choice, of Representative Silvestre Reyes to head one of Congress’s most important committees, ended weeks of closed-door lobbying and public posturing among Democrats who had been competing for the post. By choosing Mr. Reyes, a former Border Patrol agent and Vietnam combat veteran, Mrs. Pelosi passed over the panel’s top Democrat, Representative Jane Harman of California, a more hawkish figure who voted to authorize the war in Iraq and a political rival with whom Mrs. Pelosi has long had a stormy relationship.

Mr. Reyes, an affable West Texan, has a far lower profile in national security circles than does Ms. Harman, an outspoken and strong-willed centrist who has become a regular guest on Sunday talk shows since the Sept. 11 attacks.

But Mrs. Pelosi chose him over Ms. Harman in part because he has repeatedly taken a more combative stance toward Bush administration policies like the invasion of Iraq, military tribunals for terrorist suspects, and the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program.

Mr. Reyes voted against authorizing President Bush to go to war with Iraq, and in June he said that the failures in Iraq “cry out for oversight.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/02/washington/02intel.html?hp&ex=1165122000&en=f0aa27022e802aec&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[AlamoDemoc]

1. If nancy selected him...he'll fit the bill

[w4rma]

8. …

She is an honorable Congressperson. You don't usually use first names for the men do you?

[WatchWhatISay]

2. El Paso must be so proud

El Paso is a great Democratic city in a very red state.

I didnt know he voted against authorizing Bush to drag us into war. Must be a very courageous man.

[GreatPirateRoberts]

3. Good Job Ms. Speaker!

Like or not, the hispanic voting bloc is only getting bigger, & this will help keep them on our side!

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Yes, indeed -- welcome to DU, Pirate!

[aquart]

5. Yeah, I noticed that vote. It got me all hopeful.

Poor little Sunday talk shows. Think he'll hold it against them?

[bklyncowgirl]

6. Good choice, Nancy.

Reyes did not vote for this war so therefore he does not have to defend his personal actions. He has a strong law enforcement and military background. I like his background in border security very much--he should be able to cut through alot of bullshit.

I'll admit I was pushing for my Congressman, Rush Holt, but Reyes seems a very good choice.

[Peace Patriot]

7. I heard Harman on C-Span giving a talk to the ABA yesterday, and she's all

"balance of powers" and "Congressional oversight" and "rule of law" spying now. What a slick number she is.

Frankly, I was impressed, not with her content--which is classic Democratic complicity with the secret government and the corporate/military complex--but with her presentation. She is articulate, no question about it. And smart. She even had me believing, for a second or two, that she really has been working for Bush accountability to the people.

Reyes (in a brief interview) is not nearly as glib, but he surely has been one of the few REAL Democrats that we have had, trying to represent the VAST MAJORITY of Americans, on the war and other issues, while consigned to minority status in Congress, under fascist Republican rule. Back when Mr. Reyes voted against the war--shortly after the vote--FIFTY-SIX PERCENT of the American people opposed the war (Feb. '03). It's now up to SEVENTY-PERCENT, with a whopping EIGHTY-FOUR PERCENT opposed to any U.S. participation in a widened Mideast war. Also, SIXTY-THREE PERCENT of Americans oppose torture "under any circumstances" (May '04).

Those who have represented us, in these difficult circumstances, deserve the committee chairs, and those who have failed to represent us--like Ms. Harman--deserve to have paper ballot votes that are very carefully counted in the next election. Something's not right with these people ('Bushite Democrats').

[KoKo]

10. I watched her on C-Span and she is very articulate and seemed upset

about Pelosi passing her over. She had just heard at 9:15 that morning.

She was very convincing in her statements about how Congress needs oversite on FISA and Military Tribunals, Torture, etc. But, I agree with you that while she sounds like a Dem...there's a slickness about her thats worrying.

That she seemed angry along with being upset about being passed over made me wonder if she thought she was "entitled" to be Chair because of her connections (she mentioned Porter Goss and Gates as people she had worked with for a long time). Some of her proposals were good, like having ALL members of the Intelligence Committee being briefed instead of just two, and a few other things...but she only seemed to start talking that way in the last 8 months or so when her seat in CA was challenged and after Murtha came out against the war.

Pelosi did a fair thing in passing over both Harmon and Hastings and going for someone who voted against the War. I admire her for making changes...and I've never been a fan of hers.

[lyonn]

12. Harmon on C-Span appeared bitter and a poor loser

Harmon is Now saying all the proper things when it comes to intel - huh, what about when it would have counted? With Harmon we got a rubber stamp for bush. Pelosi did the right thing, she may be a real threat to the repubs. I am looking forward to some real action.

Reyes on C-Span, following Harmon's speech to the ABA, at least seemed sincere. Don't know that much about him but do like the fact he voted against the war and was as aware of the intel for war as Harmon since he was on the committee too.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Article is page one in print edition today -- Reyes pic on frontpage! nt

[goforit]

11. Great job Nancy! Stay strong!

[Tatiana]

13. Just when I ask if Speaker Pelosi is up to the job set before her, she does something like this.

There will be a few stumbles, surely, but overall I think we will all be satisfied with her leadership. This was a decision that took guts - many people would be angered and feel alienated. She will have to reach out to those people. However, I think she made the best decision possible in choosing someone who has impeccable security credentials, is Latino, is a TEXAN, AND voted "no" on the IWR.

Much remains to be seen, but this looks like a promising, possibly brilliant move.

[Hekate]

14. So much for the so-called "infighting." She's making good tough choices.

Too bad about Jane Harmon -- but if what we want is someone to bulldog the admin on Iraq, maybe a hawk wouldn't be such a good idea.

Didn't Nancy P. also pass over someone with a questionable ethics background? Now is definitely not the time you want someone to take a high-profile position who's had recent problems. Nancy said she was going to "drain the swamp," so....

Interesting times are ahead. :popcorn:

Hekate

[SpiralHawk]

15. Another Dem Veteran who served with honor????

What will the chickenhawk republicons do now?

I guess they better get busy trashing him, as they trash all of the honorable vets.

Republicons = lacking in honor, and therefore ready to smear everyone who has honor, starting at the top with the shameful Commander AWOL and his sidekick, Dick "Five Deferments" Cheney