Bill Nelson: “today I voted to confirm the nomination of General Michael Hayden to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency…”

“today I voted to confirm the nomination of General Michael Hayden to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency replacing my friend and Florida colleague Porter Goss. I voted to confirm General Hayden based on his impressive record as a career intelligence officer in a broad spectrum of strategic intelligence activities and programs. He is widely regarded as one of the most qualified intelligence planners and managers among military or civilian intelligence professionals. Despite my vote in favor of his confirmation I remain deeply concerned that recent revelations regarding domestic intelligence collection by the National Security Agency may have violated our laws. In hearings before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence General Hayden often deferred questions about the program, the President's and Justice Department's statements about the program, and his own involvement in the NSA's activity to closed sessions. My Intelligence Committee colleagues pursued these questions and ultimately recommended approval of the nomination on a bipartisan 12-3 vote. I still have many questions about this program and how it was conceived and operated, and I will continue to seek answers to them. However, General Hayden has sufficiently demonstrated his objectivity, independence and openness that I am comfortable with confirming his nomination.…”