The FBI’s number two man John Pistole, who was considered a sure bet, was confirmed unanimously by the Senate Friday to head the Transportation Security Administration, The Hill newspaper reported.
Pistole, who was highly respected in the FBI, was the third nominee for the post. The two others, ex-FBI agent Erroll Southers and retired Gen. Robert Harding, withdrew their nominations after problems surfaced in their backgrounds.
No replacement has been named for Pistole, though one likely and logical candidate appears to be the FBI’s number three person Timothy Murphy.
Previously, Pistole’s name surfaced as one of four candidates being considered to head up the Drug Enforcement Administration. But in the end the nod went to the acting head of DEA, Michele Leonhart. After that, his name had surfaced as a possible head for ATF, but that idea never went any where.
Pistole, a graduate of the Indiana School of law, started his career with the FBI in 1983.
He worked in the Minneapolis and New York offices before becoming a supervisor in the Organized Crime Section at headquarters.
He later headed to the Midwest where he worked as a field supervisor of a White-Collar Crime and Civil Rights Squad in Indianapolis. He then went off to Boston to become an assistant special agent in charge.
He eventually became an Inspector in the F.B.I.’s Inspection Division. In 2002, he became deputy assistant director for Operations for the Counterterrorism Division. He later became assistant director for Counterterrorism and then executive assistant director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence.
