GOP Senators Demand Look at Lake Report
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and several colleagues insisted Thursday that the White House release the full FBI report on CIA director-designate Anthony Lake.
Susan Irby, a spokeswoman for Lott, said senators should be able to review the full FBI report, not just the summary submitted by the White House. Other Senate Republicans said they will not let Lake’s nomination to head the CIA come to a vote until the White House yields.
“This is not negotiable,” said Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas).
Gramm, who chairs an ad hoc group of Senate conservatives, circulated among colleagues a letter addressed to Lott that urges no action on the Lake nomination until the White House makes the full FBI report available. At least 10 had signed it by Thursday afternoon.
White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry said: “We’ll work with the senator to address those concerns.”
An administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the FBI material made available to senators is the standard information package provided in nominations.
The focus on the FBI report appears to represent the latest Republican effort to block a nomination that several senators say has the votes to win confirmation. Two Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sens. John H. Chafee of Rhode Island and Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, now say they plan to vote for Lake barring any last-minute revelations.
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