Acting defense secretary orders NSA director to immediately install former GOP operative as the agen

[COL Mustard]

While there are other problems with Gen. Nakasone's leadership at NSA, he's in the right on this one. It'll be interesting to see who wins this standoff...the Acting Secretary of Defense or a 4-star general.

Source: WaPo
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/acting-defense-secretary-orders-nsa-director-to-immediately-install-former-gop-operative-as-the-agencys-top-lawyer/2021/01/16/b3e06a02-5837-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html

Excerpt:

Ellen Nakashima

Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller ordered the director of the National Security Agency to install on Saturday a former GOP political operative as the NSA’s top lawyer, according to four individuals familiar with the matter.

In November, Pentagon General Counsel Paul C. Ney Jr. named Michael Ellis, then a White House official, to the position of general counsel at the NSA, a career civilian post at the government’s largest and most technologically advanced spy agency, The Post reported. He was selected after a competitive civil service competition. He has not taken up the job, however, as he needed to complete administrative procedures, including taking a polygraph test.

Reached by phone Saturday, Ellis said, “I don’t talk to the press, thank you,” and hung up.

[choie]

1. The punchline:

"Ellis previously was chief counsel to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a staunch Trump supporter and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.'

[catrose]

2. Isn't Nunes' chief of staff, Kash Patel, going to be 2nd at the CIA?

Making me nervous

[lindysalsagal]

3. My best guess: someone to stonewall the investigators?

But I would think the Senate would be able to subpoena underlings for evidence.

[COL Mustard]

4. Well, I See The Acting SecDef Won This One

Soure: WaPo

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/the-nsa-is-moving-forward-to-install-michael-ellis-a-former-gop-operative-as-its-top-lawyer-the-agency-said-sunday/2021/01/17/b8430e8c-58e2-11eb-a976-bad6431e03e2_story.html

Excerpt:

Ellen Nakashima

The National Security Agency is “moving forward” to install Michael Ellis, a former GOP political operative and White House official, as the agency’s top lawyer, the agency said Sunday.

The announcement came a day after acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller ordered the NSA director, Gen. Paul Nakasone, to immediately place Ellis in position as the agency’s general counsel.

[marie999]

5. Give him an office and a coded badge that doesn't let him walk down a corridor

to a bathroom.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Make sure he fails his polygraph.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Reassign him to a non-legal position.

And if he provides a legal opinion or ruling to anyone... fire him.

[PatSeg]

8. "...he needed to complete administrative procedures, including taking a polygraph test."

A polygraph test? That could explain why he hasn't taken up the job yet.