WASHINGTON -- In a revealing test of her leadership, House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday rejected a once-impeached congressman to lead the House Intelligence Committee, a move that could blunt early criticism that she's paying only lip service to ethics reform.
At the same time, Pelosi's decision not to promote Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., who is black, could ruffle her relations with black lawmakers.
Hastings was acquitted of federal bribery charges as a federal judge in the 1980s but impeached by the Senate and removed from the bench. However, that does not mean that Pelosi will promote the panel's senior Democrat, Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., with whom she has frosty relations.
Instead, Democratic aides said the top contenders are Reps. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, Sanford Bishop Jr. of Georgia and Norm Dicks of Washington state. Reyes has the edge, Pelosi allies indicated. He was a 26-year agent and supervisor with the U.S. Border Patrol before his 1996 election to Congress, and is a senior member of the Intelligence panel.
Harman, who has been the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee for four years, could not be reached for comment.
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Pelosi declined comment other than to say that Hastings "has served our country well, and I have full confidence that he will continue to do so."
Hastings promised to work with whomever Pelosi chooses, but said he was disappointed and added cryptically: "Sorry, haters, God is not finished with me yet."
