Weldon's Candor Complicates Committee Post

AP on Yahoo ^ | 6/11/05 | Lara Jakes Jordan - AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - When it comes to counterterror strategy, maverick Rep. Curt Weldon (news, bio, voting record) tells it as he sees it — often to the extreme discomfort of fellow Republican lawmakers and the Bush administration.

But his candor in a new book accusing the CIA of ignoring terror information has called Weldon's credibility into question as he is being considered to chair the House Homeland Security Committee.

As the committee's vice chairman, Weldon, R-Pa., is among a small number of Republicans competing to ascend to the panel's top job as early as next month. The new chairman would replace Rep. Christopher Cox (news, bio, voting record), R-Calif., who is awaiting Senate confirmation to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Homeland security has been a part of me," said Weldon, a former fire chief who was elected to the House in 1986.

"I would run the committee in a way that is the legitimate role of the Congress, but in a constructive way," Weldon said in a recent interview. "And if that means I have to push — and sometimes in a system like this, that's what you have to do — it's pushing for what everyone wants, which is a safer country."

Weldon has clashed with the administration before with forays into foreign policy. A planned congressional trip he was to lead to communist North Korea was canceled by the White House in October 2003. And in January 2004, the administration initially refused to provide a military airplane for another Weldon-led trip to Libya.

He has, however, led several congressional delegations to Pyongyang and Tripoli, and generally is considered an expert on foreign affairs and U.S.-Russian relations in particular.

Weldon's book, "Countdown to Terror," has angered the authorities that the House panel relies upon for counterterrorism information. Intelligence veterans, including current officials, dismiss allegations in the book, which details threat information provided by an Iranian man code-named "Ali."

Weldon berates the CIA for disregarding Ali and his information, including a May 2003 tip that Iran planned to fly a hijacked Canadian airplane into a U.S. nuclear reactor identified only as "Sea." Weldon said the plant was the Seabrook, N.H., nuclear facility outside Boston, where an attack could kill hundreds of thousands of people.

Three months later, authorities arrested 19 Muslim men in Toronto who were suspected of being part of a terror cell — what Weldon calls proof of Ali's credibility. The accusations were later lowered to immigration charges

CIA spokesman Paul Gimigiliano said the agency looked into those issues — "and looked into them more than once."

Bill Murray, a former CIA station chief based in Paris, said he met with Ali to investigate his claims, but the Iranian refused to provide enough information for the agency to determine his credibility.

"Everything he said was always sensational, unique, improbable on the surface in most cases and unverifiable. And none of it ever panned out," said Murray. He said he was shocked when he saw Weldon's book, which he called "a slap to the professional integrity of every single person that does this kind of work and our efforts to try to do it right."

Several other Republicans are pursuing the chance to head the Homeland Security Committee, which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and gained permanent status this year. Among them is Rep. Don Young (news, bio, voting record) of Alaska, who would have to vacate his chairmanship of the House Transportation Committee.

Also in the running is Rep. Peter King (news, bio, voting record) of New York, who Democrats believe would be more politically moderate than Young and more low-key than Weldon.

"It's the most important job in Congress," King said. "It's so important that the committee have credibility, and the committee have status. Otherwise we're not going to be taken seriously."

Those who have watched Weldon over the years are divided on what kind of chairman he would be. But nearly all agree that he likely would provide strong — some say overly demanding — oversight to the Homeland Security Department that is still struggling to organize after its creation two years ago.

"He'd be a phenomenal chairman," said Frank J. Cilluffo, a former Bush administration adviser who now heads homeland security programs at George Washington University. "Certainly he calls it as he sees it, but he was a Paul Revere on the issue before 9/11. He's not a 9/12-er."

P.J. Crowley, a special assistant to former President Clinton for national security affairs, agreed that Weldon's bombastic style is "useful up to a point."

"But ultimately, you've got to turn around and act meaningful legislation in concert with the executive community and intelligence community," Crowley said. "Certainly, no one denies that there are still serious shortcomings in the intelligence community. But you have to work with the intelligence community that you have — not one that you might dream up."

Weldon said he aspires to chair either the Homeland Security or Armed Services committee, and is still deciding which he'd rather pursue.

"I'm going to work the issue regardless of what my position is," he said.

"The worst part of my job is to sit in the living room of a family whose son or daughter came home in a body bag and tell them that we did all that we could to prevent that from happening," Weldon said. "None of the bureaucrats, none of the pencil pushers, none of the advisers to the president have to do that. And I'm not going to give up my responsibilities to those families. I'm going to push."

[NormsRevenge]

A real Maverick..

Rep. Curt Weldon, R-PA., head of the US congressional delegation, addresses the media following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaaferi in Baghdad in this Monday, May 30, 2005 file photo. When it comes to counterterror strategy, maverick Weldon tells it as he sees it and often to the extreme discomfort of fellow Republican lawmakers and the Bush administration. But his candor in a new book accusing the CIA of ignoring terror information has called Weldon's credibility into question as he is being considered to chair the House Homeland Security Committee. (AP Photo/Ali Haider, pool, File)

[sam_whiskey]

maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick, maverick...I stopped reading right there.

[Cicero]

The question is, whether "Ali" is a discredited source, or whether the usual suspects are just trying to smear Weldon. You certainly can't trust AP to tell you.

[Peach]

Bill Murray, a former CIA station chief based in Paris, said he met with Ali to investigate his claims, but the Iranian refused to provide enough information for the agency to determine his credibility.

"Everything he said was always sensational, unique, improbable on the surface in most cases and unverifiable. And none of it ever panned out," said Murray.

[NormsRevenge]

"Everything he said was always sensational, unique, improbable on the surface in most cases and unverifiable. And none of it ever panned out," said Murray.


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making it all the more believable, eh?

..who'da thunk civilian airliners would have been used in a coordinated attack against domestic targets in our nation?

[CyberAnt]

Do we know who all the candidates are for Cox's job as committee chairman ..??

If I saw the names, I would have a better idea of who the "real" leader would be.

Didn't this jerk support Clinton ..?? I just remember his name but I don't remember the details.

[speedy]

Weldon is the loosest of cannons and another guy who makes his own foreign policy. I am quite familiar with what he did in North Korea -- he went around making claims and promises that he was in no position to keep. This is a Little League McCain here, and if he wasn't a menace, he would not be getting such favorable coverage by the AP. "Maverick" should have been the tip off.

[NormsRevenge]

Several other Republicans are pursuing the chance to head the Homeland Security Committee, which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and gained permanent status this year. Among them is Rep. Don Young (news, bio, voting record) of Alaska, who would have to vacate his chairmanship of the House Transportation Committee.

Also in the running is Rep. Peter King (news, bio, voting record) of New York, who Democrats believe would be more politically moderate than Young and more low-key than Weldon.

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re: supporting Clinton, the entire US Senate and half the House supported Clinton when they sanctioned his efforts by refusing to try him for High Crimes and Misdemeanors after the House impeached his sorry arse for petty behavior, opting not to dwelve deeper into the dark side of Bubba by not even viewing any of the boxes of 'evidence' gathered by investigators etc and still sitting in boxes in the basement of a Congressional building in Washington..

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How did Weldon vote? Maybe someone else can enlighten us re: that side of things. I don't recall specifics there and it's too nice a day here to sit staring at a search engine right now. ;-).

Thanks.

[concentric circles]

"...How did Weldon vote?"

Weldon voted yes on Article I which charged that Clinton "willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony" to a federal grand jury on Aug. 17, 1998. Article I passed 228 to 206. Voting "yes" were 223 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Voting "no" were 5 Republicans, 200 Democrats and one independent.

Weldon voted yes on Article II which charged that Clinton "willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony" in his deposition testimony in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Article II failed 229 to 205. Voting "yes" were 200 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Voting "no" were 28 Republicans, 200 Democrats and one independent.

Weldon voted yes on Article III which charged that Clinton "prevented, obstructed, and impeded the administration of justice" and engaged in conduct "designed to delay, impede, cover up and conceal the existence of evidence and testimony" related to the Jones case. Article III passed 221 to 212. Voting "yes" were 216 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Voting "no" were 12 Republicans, 199 Democrats and one independent.

Weldon voted no on Article IV which charged that Clinton "engaged in conduct that resulted in misuse and abuse of his high office" when he "willfully made perjurious, false and misleading sworn statements" in written responses to questions submitted by the House Judiciary Committee. Article IV failed 285 to 148. Voting "yes" were 147 Republicans and 1 Democrat. Voting "no" were 81 Republicans, 203 Democrats and one independent.

What memories of very "trying" times; victories and defeats, large and small. For all that, the question here seems to be, "Is Weldon a dependable ally?"