A wave of departures from the CIA has prompted a leading congressional Democrat to declare the agency is experiencing an internal collapse. Jane Harman, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, criticized the management team installed by new CIA Director Porter Goss as partisan and lacking experience.
Among those leaving: clandestine service officials Stephen Kappes and Michael Sulick both resigned Monday, days after deputy director John McLaughlin announced his retirement. Goss, a former Republican congressman from Florida, placed at least four ex-Capitol Hill Republican staffers in senior agency roles with wide authority over personnel and restructuring.
Republican Representative Peter Hoekstra defended Goss, arguing that friction during leadership transitions is normal and urged critics to give the new director room to operate.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.