By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
After 26 years, John S. Pistole is no longer an FBI agent.
Pistole , the number two person at the FBI, was sworn in Thursday as the head of the Transportation Security Administration after going through a relatively painless confirmation process. The previous two nominees for the job ran into trouble and withdrew their names.
Pistole takes over several months after the public was reminded Christmas day with the underwear bomber in Detroit just how vulnerable it is.
A press release by the TSA said “Under his leadership, TSA will continue to grow as a risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency dedicated to protecting our transportation systems.”
A likely candidate to succeed Pistole at the FBI is Timothy Murhpy, who has been assigned to replace Pistole on an interim basis.
