Senate intelligence panel approves Brennan's CIA nomination

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats on Tuesday resolved a dispute with the White House over access to classified legal opinions on "targeted killings," including drone strikes on U.S. citizens, clearing the way for a committee vote on John Brennan's nomination to be CIA director.

In a statement, committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein said that she had "reached an agreement with the White House to provide the committee access to all" Justice Department opinions related to the "targeted killing of Americans."

The agreement "will pave the way for the confirmation of John Brennan to be CIA director," she said.

The committee has set a closed-door meeting for Tuesday afternoon at which a vote on the Brennan nomination was to be taken. A vote on Brennan's confirmation by the full Senate could then be scheduled.

The intelligence committee's vote had been delayed due to a squabble between senators and the White House over access to the Justice Department legal papers, as well as to records related to the U.S. response to the September 11, 2012, attacks on U.S. outposts in Benghazi, Libya.

Some committee Democrats, including Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, had hinted that they might vote against Brennan's nomination if the White House did not turn over all the Justice Department papers they were seeking. Until this week, the White House had only been willing to turn over four out of what were estimated to be 11 relevant documents.

Committee members and some aides are being allowed to review the documents but will not be allowed permanently to retain copies of them on Capitol Hill.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; editing by Jackie Frank)

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Senate panel delays CIA nominee Brennan's confirmation vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday postponed until next week a vote on the confirmation of White House aide John Brennan to be CIA director, dashing hopes of Democratic leaders who had hoped to have a vote on Thursday.

The committee's Republican vice chairman, Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, said the panel expects to hold the vote on Tuesday.

No explanation for the delay was immediately available. However, the Obama administration has been at odds with members of the committee's Democratic majority over White House unwillingness to disclose some highly classified legal documents related to "targeted killings," including the use of lethal drone strikes against suspected militants.

While the administration allowed members of the intelligence committee to review copies of four such documents, it has refused to turn over what Senate officials believe are at least seven related memos.

On Wednesday, administration officials met with intelligence committee members to discuss the contents of the disputed documents. Copies of the material were not turned over to the committee, however, said a source familiar with the matter.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a key committee Democrat who had indicated earlier his preference that the vote not be held until the administration made additional disclosures, said late on Wednesday he was still not satisfied with what the White House had provided.

"Americans have a right to know when their government believes it is allowed to kill them, and that's what getting these documents" is about, Wyden said.

"I've made it very clear to the White House that we need those legal analyses before we vote," Wyden said. But he added: "There is certainly additional time to work this out."

(Reporting By Mark Hosenball and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Warren Strobel, Stacey Joyce and Paul Simao)

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